When I Thought I'd Lost You
by cyancat
Summary: Mousse and Shampoo fic. Life is still the same in Nerima. Then suddenly Mousse collapses and Shampoo starts to realize what she really felt for him.
1. Mousse's Fall

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!!

bWhen I Thought I'd Lost You/b

Ch.1

The Nekohanten was alive with business as the supper rush started up one Nerima night. Cologne as usual was behind the counter quickly whipping up meals and throwing them out into the crowd. Shampoo flashed by as she caught two bowls of ramen and headed to a table. Mousse scurried about, taking orders, and cleaning up tables along with serving food at times Shampoo wasn't there to catch it. The night flowed by easily as the customers slowly dwindled in number. Fifteen minutes until closing time, Mousse was leaning up against a wall as he waited for the sole customer of the eatery to be done and on his way. He would have been sweeping and running around cleaning to pass the time, but somehow he didn't have the energy for it. Even standing there was enough of a strain on him.

"Thank kami, this night is almost over. I just haven't been feeling myself today and working these hours wasn't helping at all." Mousse thought to himself. 

The door to the Nekohaten slammed open and five people entered. Shampoo ran by Mousse in a flash and he knew who had entered.

"Airen!!"

"Shampoo, don't!"

Shampoo ran up and jumped at the staggering figure of Ranma. 

"Airen come to see Shampoo, yes? Why bring violent-girl and rest of family?" 

"WE, Shampoo, are here to get some food! Now let go!"

Beside him Kasumi and Nabiki were having a good laugh and Akane was slowly fuming at Shampoo. Behind them Soun walked past the group and sat down at a booth. 

"You are still able to serve us right? We have had a horrible night with food." Soun said addressing Cologne who had hopped over to the group.

"Yes we still are, Soun Tendo. Why is it that you are not eating at home?"

Ranma pried Shampoo off of him and sat down in the booth across from Soun.

"That idiotic father of mine and that old lech said that they were going to go on a trek somewhere, so they decided to eat EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE!"

"Yes, it is such a dilemma that we were to loose all that delicious food. I was so looking forward to Kasumi's cooking tonight." Soun said, his eyes watering, as Nabiki, Kasumi, and Akane also sat down in the booth.

"Yeah those guys wasted so much food on themselves that we are going to have a huge drop in profits buying more food to replace it all." Nabiki said as she pulled out a calculator and averaged out the amount.

"It isn't really that bad. I could have gone to the store and picked a few things to make a meal for ourselves. We would have eaten a little later, but-"

"Kasumi, don't push yourself on this. Anyway we needed to get out of the house, what with all of their pleading to be let go."

Ranma smiled evilly as he pictured how they had punished the two for eating all the food.

Back at the Tendo house, Genma-panda and Happosai were both tied up, head to foot and hanging upside down from the dojo roof. 

"This is all your fault", said the sign Genma- panda managed to stick out from the ropes.

******************************************************************************

"Shampoo get you ramen right away!" she said as she ran off to the kitchen.

Mousse stayed where he was. Normally he would have jumped into the conversation or accosted Ranma for letting Shampoo jump him, but right now it felt as if this wall was the only thing holding him up. He had to be sick with something. It wasn't a cold, they never took such an effect on him before. 

Shampoo rushed by Mousse laden with bowls of ramen, but not before saying to him, "Mousse, you lazy duck, get to work!"

Mousse sighed as he watched Shampoo serve food to Ranma and the Tendos. He gasped to realize that his lungs felt like they were being crushed. It was getting hard to breathe. That sigh alone made his chest pound like a sledge hammer hit it.

Maybe,...maybe if he could just get back to his bed, he could sleep this thing through. He could find the herbs that he'd kept for such a bad sickness that he could take too.. That is if he could get to it. Taking a step forward, streaks of pain flashed across his chest invoking a coughing spasm. Mousse stopped, cringing from the pain. He yelled at himself for being such a wimp. Pain like this shouldn't be affecting him so bad. Determined to get to his room, Mousse pushed forward again, walking only three steps before he had to put a hand up on the wall to steady himself.

Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, and Soun were eating as they talked with Shampoo and Cologne. Everyone seemed to be intent on the conversation to notice any thing else happening around them. Shampoo saw the last customer leaving as he slid the door closed behind him. She turned to yell at Mousse to close up the shop and get to cleaning, but stopped short. She had been ready to yell at him, her mouth open, but it was how Mousse was acting that stopped her. He was for some reason, struggling to walk into the back room. He staggered to take a step and his whole body seemed to shake violently.

"Mousse?" Shampoo said quietly to herself, questioning what was happening to him and slowly started to walk towards Mousse.

She watched as Mousse struggled again with another step forward and then stop. He tried again but his footing fumbled and he fell to the floor like a heap of clothes.

"MOUSSE!" Screamed Shampoo as she ran to his side. 

Startled from her outburst, the rest of the group got up from their seats and ran over to where Shampoo was crouched over the slumped figure of Mousse on the floor.

Cologne eyed the unconscious Mousse warily as he wheezed, his lungs trying desperately to get more air, and the violent tremors that were shaking his body. She knew her knowledge of pressure points and medicine were not enough to help this time. She turned to Ranma who was standing beside her, shock evident in his face.

"Ranma, call an ambulance. I can't help him now."

He looked at Cologne, as if he was slowly recognizing what she had said and then ran into the back room towards the phone.

"Mousse? Mousse, what's wrong with you? Wake up! Wake up, Mousse! Why won't you answer me?" Shampoo pleaded as she shook Mousse's unconscious form.

She looked up to realize that Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi were beside her. Remembering instructions given to her from Dr. Tofu, Akane knelt down beside her, "Shampoo, we gotta get him on his back. It'll be easier for him to breathe that way."

Shampoo looked at her and nodded, though no emotion could be seen on her face. Together, Akane and Shampoo shifted Mousse to laying on his back.

"Maybe we should call Dr. Tofu? Do you think that he could help out at the hospital?" Kasumi said trying to sound helpful, because at this time she actually didn't know what to do.

Nabiki looked at her, surprised with her awkwardness, "Honestly Kasumi, he wouldn't be any help with you around." Soun and Cologne stood silently beside the hovering girls, knowing that they could do nothing at this moment.

All heads turned towards the front door and Ranma jumped over the counter from the kitchen as a ambulance wail emerged from the darkness and grew louder until they could see it's flashing lights through the doors.

*****************************************************************************

Well there goes my first chapter, hopefully I'll have the next up in a day or so, whenever I get to typing it out. And sorry if some characters are out of normal personality. Thanks a lot for reading!!! 

Cyancat


	2. Mousse's Diagnosis

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!!

***A/N - Also, I wanted to say THANK YO THANK YOU to all the people who reviewed just the first chapter. I hope that you all stay tuned in for more of the story as it unfolds. Sorry I didn't get this on fan fiction until now, but Spring Break took a hold of me and I couldn't do anything until I got back to my PC at college. THANKS again! 

^_^ (\/) cyancat

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch.2

It seemed like hours to the friends of Mousse, that they had been waiting to find out more information on his condition. As the ambulance had taken him away, Ryoga and Ukyo had run up to see what was happening and were now with the rest of the group at the hospital. Akane, Kasumi, Soun, and Cologne were all sitting in the chairs provided. Shampoo leaned against a corner of the room, arms crossed, and staring down at the ground. Ranma sat on the floor beside Akane's seat, Ukyo was leaning up against the wall, Nabiki stood by the window staring out, and Ryoga sat on the floor against the wall beside Ukyo. A door opened down the corridor and they all diverted their attention to the approaching tall man in a white lab coat.

"Who is here for a Mu-Zu?"said the man as he looked around the group.

"We are!" said the group simultaneously, save for Cologne and Shampoo who said nothing.

"Urm. Ah well.. Is there any family here that I can talk with first?"

"Sorry, my boy, but he has no family here. I am an elder of his village. Tell me what you have to say." Cologne said as she hopped up on her cane.

"Well, I guess that will do, could we talk in private?"

"You have nothing to hide from these people. They are all friends of the boy and we all wish to know what is wrong with him."

"Very well then. The boy was brought in unconscious, so as we knew nothing on the boy's medical history we could only stabilize him to an extent until we got our test results back on him. He's fine for now, but it's what the test results tell that is what is the worst part and the cause of his problem," 

The doctor paused as if he wanted to give them a moment before they were to take the blow, "The boy has a large malignant tumor growing in his chest. That's the reason he's been having trouble breathing. It seems to look like it has grown rapidly in a short time which could be from a year to eighteen months of time. With its rapid growth, it been taking up space that is usually there for the lungs and heart. Its growth has also been probably feeding off the cancer cells that his immune system is not killing. His body is very weak even though you wouldn't see that from the outside, but inside him, his immune system hasn't been functioning like is should for an undetermined amount of time, thus becoming weaker and letting the cancer cells grow and reproduce."

A stunned silence filled the room as the doctor waited for a response.

"Mousse? You're talking about the guy from China with long black hair and glasses right? Are you sure its that Mousse?" Ranma said, not totally believing all that he heard.

"Yes, the person you speak of is the same I am talking about. No one else here could go by that description."

"How could he have a tumor? He's been fit since the day I met him!" said Ranma.

"Appearances can be deceiving, but there are many options to how he developed the tumor. Along with it never being diagnosed whenever, if he did, have a doctor's visit, trauma, stress, and exhaustion also add to the growth of cancer cells. His immune system was so run down that it couldn't fight off the usual amount of cancer cells that it does kill and so they started to grow and multiply quickly into what is now the tumor."

"Enough already, what can you do to save the boy?" Cologne said.

"Normally we would use radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery to try and get rid of the tumor. It's size is what causes some doctors to not even try to remove it. But there is a new surgery that has just been granted use to this hospital. It was experimental for the past few years, but now we are able to use it. The surgery takes a new technique at using lasers to remove large tumors in delicate places such as the brain, spinal cord, and the chest. I believe that this could save the boy's life."

Cologne pondered a moment as she thought on the doctors words. "And you would like to use this new surgery on Mousse, then? What is it that you need from us? Money?"

"Oh no, no, no. We don't need money at all for this surgery at all, since there was a large grant issued to us to pay for all the bills that are generated for this surgery. But what we need is your permission to go ahead with it. We understand that some people have morals and issues that deal with this or they feel like they don't want to be a guinea pig for the surgery, they can try other ways. So, what will it be?"

"So if this surgery is successful..."

"It'll seem as if he had never had a tumor at all and life can go as usual for him."

"But if it's not?"

"Nothing will have changed and the tumor will slowly grow larger and eventually kill him, crushing his heart and lungs."

'If you believe that it will cure him, then so be it. Permission is granted to you doctor, but use great care on that boy, for we'd all hate to lose him."

"Yes, we would take the utmost extreme care for him. Do not worry, he is in good hands. The surgery will be set up immediately. For all of you, I advise to get some rest. The night ahead will be long."

With that, the doctor turned around and walked quickly away down the corridor as one could without it being running.

Ryoga stood up from his seat on the floor and started to pace the room. 

"I don't know how this could happen to a guy like Mousse. I mean he's a regular guy like Ranma and me. He fights with us and we always get beat up to some extent yet it doesn't happen to us. Why did it have to be him?" Ryoga said as he paced.

"No one could ever see something like this happening to him or any of us for that matter." Nabiki said as she turned to look at the group from her place by the window.

"Maybe it's my fault it happened to him..." Ranma said as he looked down the empty corridor that the doctor had disappeared down.

Akane's eyes grew wide with shock as she turned to look at the boy beside her. "Ranma! How can you say that? You can't take the blame for what happened to him! This isn't your fault and you know it!"

"How isn't this my fault? You heard the doc, he said stress and exhaustion could make this happen. Why do you think he's here? To defeat me! And I was the one to always knock him down. He pushed himself too far so that he could keep fighting me, just because he cares so much for Shampoo, he'd even kill himself trying."

Shampoo's head snapped up in shock Ranma's words penetrated into her head. She felt as if she had been in a bad dream. Before she had been staring down at the floor, yet she didn't see it. All she had seen was how her life had gone on with Mousse in her life. She remembered how he had been at age three and his proclamation to her when he had first arrived in Nerima to chase after her. Everything else around her had been drowned out when the doctor had explained what was wrong with Mousse. Now she had started to think twice about the life she lead with the people around her. What had shocked her and woken her up from her disdain, was the fact that Ranma had stated how much Mousse cared for her. Even he could see how much she meant to Mousse.

"No, not Ranma fault." Shampoo said faintly.

Everyone turned to look at Shampoo who had so abruptly spoken out. 

"Shampoo? What do you mean?" Akane said.

"It not fault of Ranma, it not fault of anyone but Shampoo. Is all my fault Mousse sick. Is all my fault he fight all the time. It all my fault." She said dejectedly as if she was pleading guilty in court.

"Shampoo," Ukyo said as she walked forward towards the group from the wall, "You know it's not your fault. You can't put any blame on yourself just like Ranma shouldn't. You have to quit living in the past with all your regrets. Right now we gotta believe that he's gonna live through this."

Akane stood up and stopped in front of Shampoo. "Ukyo's right Shampoo. If you don't believe that he's gonna be alright, then neither is he. Forget about everything that's happened and hope for the best."

Shampoo opened her mouth ready to come back with an answer, but she could find nothing worth saying to the girl before her. She shut her mouth and dropped her head again to stare at the floor. Akane sighed heavily and then went back to sitting in the chair beside the dejected Ranma. 

Shampoo thought to herself just how wrong they all were. She was to blame for all this. She was the reason he trained and fought all the time. She was the reason he worked so hard at the Nekohanten. She was the reason that he was even there in Japan. If she hadn't come back after Ranma, then he wouldn't have gotten sick. He would have stayed at the village and would have stayed healthy. Then she wouldn't have lost him.


	3. Shampoo's Feelings

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!!

***A/N -So you all know, Mousse is #3 of my all time favorite guys ( right behind InuYasha and Miroku) and I would never want him hurt or dead in anyway. I just sometimes think that the thought of death provokes some feelings to come out from the hidden dark inside a person and thats the only reason I do that to Mousse. Makes you rethink your priorities.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading!!!

^_^ (\/) cyancat

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch.3

An hour passed since the doctor was last seen and Cologne finally managed to talk everyone to leave and go home. No sense in all of them staying around making more trouble. It was only after she agreed to have them called if anything happened to Mousse, did they finally agree to leave. Then it was just her and Shampoo sitting in the lounge area. 

"Now what we do?" Shampoo said.

"Well, you dear, are going to stay here and I am going back to the store. Call me if anything changes." Cologne said and then began to hop away on her cane.

"WHAT! Grandmother!" Shampoo ran over and jumped in front of Cologne blocking the way, "Why should Shampoo stay? I no want to stay here!"

"Shampoo, there's no sense in both of us staying here. I have things that need to be taken care of and I need to have a message sent to Mousse's mother on what's been happening so I need to start finding a messenger that can go to the village."

"But-"

"No, you are staying here. You were blaming yourself for what happened to him right?"

"Y...yes."

"Then you can stay and watch over him for tonight. If you want the blame, take what comes with it."

"Yes, grandmother." Shampoo said as she hung her head in compliance. Cologne looked at Shampoo and sighed.

"Sometimes you confuse me, dear girl. Your feelings seem to change in a split second. Is there something that you should be telling me?"

There was long silence from Shampoo and then she looked up at Cologne, "No, nothing to say. Everything fine. Nothing wrong. Shampoo just want to be with airen and not duck-boy!"

Shampoo glared for a second at Cologne before she quickly walked off past her and down the hall to the waiting room, where she plopped down on a chair and crossed her arms angrily. 

Cologne shook her head and started again to leave the hospital. She had been noticing this happening a lot more with Shampoo through the past five months. She would have a moment that would be out of her personality, like helping Mousse clean up or not talk about Ranma for a whole day. Then if anything would be mentioned about it, she'd come back ten-fold angrier than a wet cat and her old personality would return.

If she had been anyone else, she would have brushed it off as a quirk of Shampoo's personality traits, but she wasn't. She knew what was wrong with the girl. Shampoo's feelings were growing for the person that she wasn't supposed to have feelings for and now everything was conflicting against her. Shampoo was trying hard to hide this, but this wasn't something you could hide from a grandmother. As Cologne exited the hospital, she hoped what happened to Mousse would be enough to pull out those feelings into the open. Already she had let out her feelings on how she thought she was to blame, something the old Shampoo would have never done. Leaving Shampoo behind would force her to think through her feelings and maybe then she could see something that Cologne already saw. 

Cologne had already realized three months ago that a marriage between Ranma and Shampoo would never happen. Shampoo had already changed so much and plus the boy was already attached to Akane. Cologne had even started calling Ranma by his name instead of 'son-in-law,' though Shampoo kept calling him 'airen.' The only reason that she let this go on was for the sake of tribal law and customs. Right now, Cologne just hoped that Mousse would live through this thing. No telling what Shampoo would do if he didn't.

******************************************************************************

*Beep* *Beep*

"Paging Dr. Makate to the 3rd Floor Operation Room, Paging Dr. Makate to the 3rd Floor Operation Room"

The voice that cackled through the hospital speakers seemed to have a cold as she said the page.

"I wonder if that's about Mousse" Shampoo thought as she looked up at the overhead speaker in the ceiling.

"Wait a minute, No I don't care about that stupid duck-boy. I'm only here because grandmother told me to stay. I would never have feelings for that duck. I'm here for Ranma and no one else. But...why do I blame myself for this? It's his own fault for getting sick, it's his body!"

Shampoo stood up and paced around the empty room. It would have been better for someone to be around. Then at least she wouldn't have to think about such things. 

"Why did I act that way when he fell today...today...that actually happened today. Feels like its been longer than that. How long have we been here?"

Shampoo looked around for a clock and found one hung above the elevator. 12:08 the clock read. Shampoo stared at it for a moment, figuring out how much had actually gone by.

"Since we closed shop today at 7 and that's when...then we were here and then everybody left,... its been five hours since it all started. Feels like its been five days."

Shampoo paced again around the room, trying to drive her attention away from what was beating in her head. She picked up magazines and idly flipped though them, throwing them back on the table when they couldn't fulfill their use. 

"This is horrible. What am I to do here? Sit and do nothing?" Shampoo sighed and relaxed a little. "Mousse was never this much trouble before and now this happens. Why did I act like that anyway? Why did I run to his side? Why do I blame myself? I'm not supposed to care for him! He's just a stupid guy, that's all. He's stupid, cursed, blind, weak, can't take a hint, ...totally devoted to me, resourceful, handsome, willing to do anything for me, WAIT! I can't think those things about him. Yet I do, and I can't stop them from coming. I'm just so confused."

Shampoo walked over to the window that Nabiki had been looking out and stared at the night sky. "I just don't understand any of this. I thought that I loved Ranma, but now...do I actually care for that...that blind duck...whose always gentle and kind to me? Who always fights to win me over? Who saved me from that bird man on Togenko Island? He never has to do anything for me, yet he works so hard and does anything in a heartbeat for me."

Shampoo stared at the sky and found a star that shone brightly, one that she had looked to many nights in the past, wanting answers to her endless questions.

"Do...I...actually....love...Mousse?"

The star didn't answer of course, but its light blinked as if in reply. Shampoo sighed heavily as if a weight had been taken off her back. She walked back to the chairs and curled up in one. 

"I just don't understand anything anymore." She dropped her head down to her arms and slowly fell asleep.

******************************************************************************

"Miss? Miss? Can you wake up?"

Shampoo felt a small hand shake her shoulder lightly and she groggily opened her eyes to see a young woman in a blue smock beside her.

"Ah, so you finally woke up. I wondered if I was going to havta get some cold water."

"Yes, Shampoo awake." She said as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What you want?"

"Its about the boy you've been waiting on. Name of Mousse, right?"

Shampoo suddenly remembered what had happened the day before and instantly she was on her feet shaking the poor woman.

"What wrong with Mousse? Is Mousse still sick? Mousse is alive, yes?"

The woman stepped back out of Shampoo's grip and gave her a smile.

"You really don't need to worry that much. The operation is over with and the surgeons are just finishing up on him. The surgery went through just fine and the tumor is gone. He'll be moved to post-op in about half an hour."

"Mousse is okay?"

"Yes, he's fine."

Shampoo's panic stricken face melted into a smile and she hugged the woman. Seconds later Shampoo realized 'What the heck am I doing?' and quickly released her. The woman turned around and started to walk off, but she turned around to Shampoo when she reached the door. "Just be sure you keep your boyfriend safe from now on." Then she opened the door and walked off.

Shampoo just stood there in a stunned silence. Boyfriend? How could she think Mousse was her boyfriend?

******************************************************************************

After Shampoo got over the initial shock that the woman's words impacted on her, she rushed to the phone to call Cologne. Within fifteen minutes, Cologne was back at the hospital and was also followed by the group of Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Ryoga, Ukyo, and Soun. Everyone was eager to see how Mousse had come out of the operation. Later, the doctors let Cologne and Shampoo into the pre-op room and watched as two nurses wheeled out a bed containing an unconsious Mousse from the operation room. The tall doctor they had talked to before followed behind and upon seeing them, smiled and walked towards them.

"Well, did everything go alright during the surgery?"

"We are very pleased with its results on the young man. It succeeded our expectations ten-fold. The tumor is no more and we also repaired some damage that the tumor had already started to cause."

"So he will live then?"

The doctor's smile faded then and he paused before answering. "I don't want to build false hopes, but we all want for him to live. The problem is that its now up to his body to decide whether he lives or..."

"What you say? You no can help Mousse live?" Shampoo quirked at the doctor, angry at how he wasn't telling them everything they needed to know evidently.

"No, no, no dear girl. We can help, but that would only work to some extent. Sometimes a person's body just doesn't want to work anymore. Thats the case that we have with this young man. Basically its up to his immune system whether it wants to start up again. His body has to figure out if its worth repairing the body or if its ready to let go."

"So you don't know whether he will live or not?"

"No, we don't. We can only monitor his body and hope for the best. He is still in a basic coma that the body uses when major events traumatize the body. The basic line is this. If he wakes up within three weeks time, we won't have to worry about him again."

"I see..."


	4. Shampoo's Night

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!!

***A/N - As of for the basic sciences of the story, I just went along with the basic guidelines that some cases take. I think its more important to just get the picture in your head of whats going on, then to add a ton of addition al information that takes up too much time explaining. Though my bio major roomie thinks that it sounds okay, so I go by her view on it. Though thanks to all that give me suggestions on it. They help me to think in another way for the story. Thanks to all who have been waiting patiently for this next chapter. I kept rewriting it over and over so it would come out the way I wanted it to. So enjoy Chapters 4 and 5!!

^_^ (\/) cyancat

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch.4

Shampoo sighed as she sat in a booth in the Nekohanten while she languidly rapped her nails upon the table. The store was empty of customers and it was extremely boring. It was 5 days after Mousse's operation and tonight she had to stand watch over him.

After Mousse's operation everyone had arrived at the hospital as a whole group. After being told of Mousse's chances, they were all silent.

"Would it be alright if I stayed one night or two to help watch over Mousse?" Akane asked Cologne. 

"You want to stay over here all night? Alone?"

"I won't be alone. Mousse is there and besides I don't think I've shown him how much of a friend he means to me or any of us." The rest of the group agreed.

"Well, then. If you want to stay a night, I can't stop you from doing so. But wait until the day after next. I, as his village elder, will stay with him for two nights. There are some herbs that I want to see if it helps him. Then you may stay the night Akane." Cologne paused before turning to the group, "Anyone else?"

"Yeah, I'll spend the night after Akane." Ranma said, stepping forward. "I still feel like it's part my fault that this happened to him, no matter how small a one it is."

"Very well, after your night I'll have Shampoo stay over and-"

"Great-grandmother! What are you saying? I not volunteer for this!"

"As a member of his village you are entitled to help in some way or have you forgotten the time when you were sick as a young girl and the whole village came over to help out?"

"No, grandmother.... I not forget.... I stay night with Mousse."

"Fine then."

* * *

Shampoo didn't know what to do, much less wait for a customer to come in. After she closed shop today, she would head off to the hospital and start her night watch over Mousse. After tonight, it was Ryoga's turn (with someone checking in occasionally on him to make sure he was still there), then Kasumi's, Nabiki's, Ukyo's, once more it was Shampoo's turn, then Akane's turn again. Cologne followed and after that, Shampoo, who had to stay two full nights. Then they would see if more people were needed to stay nights.

Shampoo kept replaying the image that she saw in Mousse's room the morning after Akane's first night there. When she arrived that morning, she noticed that Mousse's door wasn't open as it usually was every morning. Stepping inside, Shampoo stopped dead in her tracks and stared straight ahead. There sat Akane asleep on the sofa seat supplied for the room. It wasn't that Akane was sleeping. It was the person sleeping next to her. Ranma. He was fast asleep, Akane's head on his shoulder and his arms was around her. She stared for a moment, not believing her eyes. Then she turned around and quickly sped down the hall to the lounge area. Part of her was screaming at her to go back there and clonk them both on the head with her bonbori's, scream at them, even attack them, just to make Akane and Ranma stop doing that! The other half of her made her remember everything that she had been thinking about the past few days about her life and Mousse. Shampoo couldn't bring herself to act out against the two, so she waited until she made sure that they were awake before she entered again.

Shampoo wondered, "What kept me from attacking them that morning? I'm supposed to marry Ranma, right? Then what the heck is going on in my head! Everything that was normal to me has turned upside down and gone backwards. Is there actually some....thing inside of that doesn't want to be with Ranma?" Shampoo pondered for a moment on her own question and stared out into the street. "Maybe I really don't want to marry Ranma...maybe..."

* * *

Shampoo sat in the sofa seat inside Mousse's room, staring at the wall. She was trying very hard to not fall asleep in the dark room as only a table lamp by Mousse's bed was lit. Her eyelids drooped and then sprang back open instantly. Her head began to inch down until she snapped it back up, fighting back the power of sleep.

"Ayah, I just can't stay awake. I used to be able to stay awake for a week at the most and now, I can't even last one night!"

Shampoo leaned against an arm of the sofa seat, resting her head on a hand and turned to look at the slumbering form of Mousse.

"Why is it now that I start to think about Mousse? Just because he's sick and that he might...die, it has to bring out all these emotions about him that I never would have thought I had for him. I can't even figure out what's real or not, everything's so mixed up in my head. You do the strangest things to me Mousse..."

Shampoo sighed and looked down at her free hand.

"Why can't everything go back to being normal as it used to be? Everything was fine back then... Why'd it all have to change so suddenly?"

As Shampoo stared down at her self, her head slowly drooped down and her eyes started to close. This time, Shampoo couldn't stop the sleep from coming and she drifted off into a deep sleep.

***Start Dream Flash***

Shampoo sat at a table in what seemed to be a large house. Beside her on her right was Ranma, followed by Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Mousse, Ukyo, Ryoga, Soun, Genma, and ending up on her left with Cologne. Everyone was heartily eating away at a huge meal laid out for them and happily chattering away. That was until Shampoo noticed that Mousse, who sat across from her at the table, was quiet and moved not a muscle. He just sat there looking down at the table. Shampoo paid no heed to him and glomped onto Ranma's left arm, smiling affectionately at him. Yet it seemed as if Ranma didn't notice her at all. He was turned towards Akane and they were talking away, paying no mind to her.

Shampoo scowled menacingly at the two and then reached out to pull Ranma's face towards her, for a full deep kiss on the lips. But when she reached out, her hands just passed through his head. Shampoo stared at her hands in shock. Had that really happened just now?

"What's going on?" Shampoo said frantically.

Ranma turned to her. "You don't know?"

"Know what? What am I supposed to do?"

"You can't do anything to stop it."

"But...I don't understand."

"Then you won't be able to stay here until you do."

"What?"

Then Ranma started to disappear slowly right before her very eyes. She turned to see that Cologne too was disappearing. Once Ranma was gone, Akane began to disappear too. After Cologne, Genma started to go.

"No, don't go!" Shampoo screamed at their fading figures. She tried frantically to stand up, but her legs were rooted to the floor.

"No, Ranma! Grandmother! I don't know what to do!"

Now Ukyo and Kasumi were fading away and then they were gone leaving Shampoo alone with Mousse across the table. His head slowly rose and she noticed that he didn't have his glasses on. She could clearly see his blue-grey eyes. Yet now even he was beginning to disappear.

"Mousse! Tell me, whats wrong?"

Mousse stared at her for a moment as he slowly faded. "Shampoo it will happen to you even if you don't know it. If you can't take a hold of what's real you will never see past here."

"What will happen?"

"Only you will know when it starts and then you can't stop it from ending. You have to understand what's going on inside yourself."

Shampoo tried to comprehend his words and then realized that he had nearly faded away. She struggled to get up, to grab a hold of him, so he wouldn't leave her too.

"Mousse, no! Don't go yet!"

Though now her pleas would go unanswered as she watched the last faint outline of Mousse vanish into thin air, leaving her alone, tears forming in her eyes.

"No! Please don't leave me!" Shampoo screamed as she tried to pry her legs off the floor. Finally, she couldn't try anymore and collapsed upon the table weeping. Her chest heaving with heavy racking sobs as she cried upon the table.

"I don't want to be without you...I don't want to be alone..."

***End Dream Flash***

Shampoo sat bolt upright as she awakened from her dream-filled sleep. She was breathing hard and, she realized as she touched a hand to her cheek, been crying in her sleep. It was still night she noticed as she straightened herself up. What the hell was going on in her head! How could she even think up a dream like that? More than that, what did it mean? Everyone vanishing before her very eyes, even Ranma and Mousse. Remembering faintly the conversation she had with them, she wondered what they had meant. What was going to happen to her? How could she figure out what they meant, when they didn't even refer to anything, just 'it'?

Shampoo sighed and looked over at Mousse. Standing up , she pulled a chair over by his bed and sat down, staring at his face. Picking up one of his hands, she held it between her own and rubbed the back of it with her thumbs.

"Mousse, you...you have to wake up. Nothing would be right again with out you here. I don't know what to think anymore, but when you do wake up I...I know I won't be the same person you saw last. I'll try to rethink my life and maybe change again, just for you. I just don't want to lose you, as a friend, as a fellow member of the village, or maybe even as someone that I...might love. But I can't figure any of this out without you. You hear me, Mousse! If you don't wake up, I could never forgive you for leaving everything behind you broken and torn!"

Shampoo studied his face for any change, but nothing did. Shampoo knew she shouldn't build false hopes like those, but what else was she to do now? It seemed as if everything around her was crashing and there was no way to stop it.

Morning found Shampoo still in the chair, still holding Mousse's hand, still staring at his solemn face. Cologne recognized this as an improvement of Shampoo's feelings as she stepped in that early morning to relieve Shampoo. She just hoped that her heart wouldn't be broken once it had been finally made. Though the biggest part was to get Shampoo to admit to her feelings. She could act them out, but admitting to something like this, it took more than just a tragedy.

As the days wore on, Shampoo was there every morning to relieve whomever had the nightly duty. When it was her turn to stay the night, she sat in the chair beside his bed, staring blankly as his face. When she knew no one would come by, she would again hold his hand in hers until the sun came up and someone arrived to relieve her.

It was the second night in the two night row duty of watching over Mousse that Shampoo began to actually worry more than anything. Today, it had been exactly two weeks since Mousse's surgery and he only had one week left. Shampoo's head had started to picture life without him and she was scared that it might come true. Mousse hadn't shown any signs of change since his surgery and his chances were dwindling. She stood up from her usual seat beside him and walked over to the window and stared out once more. Shampoo actually realized that she felt afraid that they'd loose Mousse. She was actually afraid that she could lose him before she could tell him anything. 

She searched the stars, trying to find that one single star that she felt was her own. She needed more than answer tonight, she wanted a wish. To wish upon a star was childish in it's own way, all about fantasy and the desire to be a controller of your own world. She knew that, but tonight, thought Shampoo as she looked back over her shoulder at Mousse and then back to the night sky, she wanted to believe in something more than reality.

A hand slowly rose from the bed and flowed across his chest until it laid over his heart. Two blue-grey eyes squinted open and blinked to see their blurry surroundings.


	5. Mousse's Waking

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!!

****P.S. Note: For this chapter I am having them speak usually as they would in their native language. I'm sorry but I can't take Shampoo's broken Japanese to these extremes. Anyway happy reading! 

^_^ (\/) cyancat

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch.5

Mousse opened his eyes, blinking repeatedly as he tried to focus, then he remembered that he needed his glasses to do that. He shifted to the left a little as it felt like his back was aching. The pain in his chest was still there, but not as intense as it had been a while ago. How long ago was that day? Had he really passed out right inside the Nekohanten with everybody watching him? Mousse then suddenly realized that he wasn't in his little attic room, the blurs he saw through his muddled vision weren't brown, but a dark gray and white. Was he in the hospital? Would they have really brought him here for just passing out? He looked around the room to his left to see a blurred version of a huge window, but beside it looking out was a slim figure with two bumps on top of it's head.

"Sh-shampoo?"

Shampoo had been staring out the window, intent on studying the night stars in the sky. Her head snapped around as she heard her name spoken by that familiar voice that was Mousse. Her eyes widened with shock as she was now looking at an awake Mousse! There he was, awake and slightly leaning forward, squinting his eyes, trying to figure out if it was really her. 

"Mousse! You're awake!" Shampoo ran towards him, ready to throw her arms around him, but stopped herself short when she remembered how she had wanted to really tell him everything she had figured out. She stopped beside his bed. "I...I'll go and get the doctor!"

Shampoo started towards the door, a smile spreading across her face as finally she didn't have to worry about the boy in the bed she had been watching over for so long. Her miracle had finally happened.

"Shampoo, wait, don't go just yet..." Mousse called out to the quickly moving figure of Shampoo.

"But...the doctor wanted to know when you woke up." Shampoo hesitated by the door.

"Just...just talk to me for a bit, please. I want to know what's happened to me."

"Okay, I'll stay for a bit, but I have to tell the doctor soon."Shampoo spun around and walked back over to Mousse's bedside and sat down her usual chair. "What did you want to know?"

"Why am I here? What happened to me?"Mousse said as he gestured about the room.

"You don't know? I guess you wouldn't know, would you? You were out the whole time. It's been two weeks since you passed out in the Nekohanten-"

"TWO WEEKS? I've been out for that long?"

"Yes. What your body went through, I...we were worried that you wouldn't make it. After you passed out, Ranma called a ambulance and they brought you here. They took some tests on you. Then they found out that..." Shampoo stopped in mid-sentence as she wondered if she was the one to tell him about the operation. This should be the doctors job to tell him, wasn't it? She looked down at her hands and fumbled with the fabric of her dress, nervous of what he might think of her if he figured that she was to blame for all this happening to him.

"Found out what? What's wrong with me?" Mousse sat up, despite the pain he felt in his chest and placed a hand on top of Shampoo's. "I'm not dying, am I?"

Her head shot up, "NO! No, you're not dying. Its just that they...they found out that you had a tumor. It was in your chest and causing all that pain you were going through." Her head dropped back down as he took in the news.

"A tumor? I have a tumor in my chest?"

"No, not anymore. They used a new kind of surgery on you to get it out and then said that it was up to you and your body to see if you were going to live. The doctor said that if you woke up..."

"If I woke up, I'd live, right?"

"Yeah." Shampoo said as she sighed a little, relived that he understood what had happened to him. She looked up to see Mousse staring at her in a way that she had never seen before. She expected him to start proposing to her again and go off in that flaky manner that he always had, but he was silent. His blue-grey eyes stared unblinkingly at her as he rested his head upon a hand. She couldn't stop herself from staring back at his face, her gaze locked in his. Shampoo was uneasy, what did this mean? Why couldn't she turn away from his gaze? She had wanted to see those eyes open for so long and now that they were and staring straight at her, she couldn't take it. Shampoo realized that if she didn't get away now, she might admit to him something that she wasn't sure that she could admit to herself even now. In the corner of her eye, she spotted his glasses sitting on the bed-stand. Quickly she grabbed them and shoved them into Mousse's hands.

"Here's your glasses. I'm gonna go and find the doctor now. Don't strain yourself." Shampoo said and dashed out the door and down the hall.

Mousse was surprised, well more like shocked, because it sounded like Shampoo had actually said something to him that meant that she cared about him. As he slipped on his glasses and looked around the now clear view of his room he wondered had Shampoo really told him everything that happened while he was asleep?

Not even ten minutes had passed by since Shampoo left that a tall man in a white lab coat entered his room, a broad smile on his face. He was followed by Cologne on her cane, but he was disappointed to see that Shampoo didn't enter.

"Well there, young man, you're finally awake. How do you feel?"

Mousse looked away from the doorway and to the face of the doctor. "Fine, I guess. My chest still hurts a little though."

"Well that's expected from the surgery. Soon the pain will subside and you'll feel normal once again."

"Yeah, I hope so. Cologne, I hope I wasn't any trouble for you."

"Mousse, I just hope that you will be up and on your feet soon. Do not worry about this as I promised your mother that I'd look after you. Anyway I just can't have a sick bus-boy on my hands now can I?"

"Well, we will let you be until morning. I'm sure that all your friends will want to see you, once they know that you're awake."

"All my friends?"

"Yes, a whole group of them. They all came in together when you were admitted to the hospital. They've all been visiting you since then, hoping to see you awake. Now boy, get some sleep," The doctor said as he stood and put a hand on Mousse's shoulder.

"I've been asleep for so long, I don't think I could if I wanted to. Though, could you tell me what's happened to me?"

"I'll answer any questions and tell you all you need to know tomorrow. Right now, you've just woken up from your state and we don't want to exhaust you in any way. Just try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long day for you tomorrow. You're going to need all the rest you can get."

The two quietly left the room, leaving Mousse on his own. A tumor, huh, he thought. Something like that really took me down for the count. What else could happen in this life that would go wrong? My love life is nil, I'm still not strong enough to defeat Ranma, I'm cursed with a stupid duck form, blind as a bat without my glasses, and now my health had to start failing too? What was it that I had done to get such bad luck in life? 

Mousse laid back down on his bed as he had been sitting up during the doctors visit. He stared at the ceiling and wondered what it was that he had seen in Shampoo just that moment before she left. He also could have sworn that his blurred vision had cleared for a few seconds, that he had seen Shampoo's face full of worry clear as day, but he tried to brush it off to the side. His vision could never return and Shampoo could never worry about him. 

How could she when she had no feelings for him? She was always going after Ranma, always trying to have everything her way. Why should she care for him now? Yet that sight of her face returned to his mind. Her face, usually so bright and carefree was grim and gray. Her violet eyes seemed to hold back tears and her bottom lip had trembled as if she was ready to break down crying. Had she really cared that much for him? What was it that made her look so sad?

Yet Mousse pushed those feelings aside as he began to think about the tumor that had supposedly been growing in his chest. He placed a hand upon his upper chest and felt the grooves from stitches down the middle. Mousse knew why he probably had gotten the tumor. Ever since he came over to Japan, all he did was worry about Shampoo and fighting. He never took the time to care for himself. He'd fight with bandages still fresh if he had to, but now as he began to rethink his life, Mousse seriously thought about quitting and forgoing fighting all together.


	6. Mousse's Decision

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch.6

Mousse had been awake for hours yet, he couldn't do anything. He'd known he'd been awake for a few hours at least because he had seen light appear and rise through cracks in the window blinds. He couldn't sleep anymore, so he laid there with his eyes closed, picturing old memories of Shampoo and their life back in China. 

Mousse then heard footsteps cross his room quickly and then stop. He instantly thought "Maybe its Shampoo!" Opening his eyes and putting on his glasses, he saw a nurse throw open the window shades of his room. As the bright light shined in, Mousse shaded it from his eyes and sighed sadly as he had wanted to see Shampoo again. The nurse turned around abruptly as she heard him sigh and her eyes widened with shock.

"Oh my...you're awake. The girls told me you woke up last night, but I didn't believe them. I've been coming in here everyday since you were put on my rounds." The nurse nervously prattled on not letting Mousse get a word in, "I didn't really think that it was true when I came in here and saw that you were still there, laying on your bed...seemingly asleep. I'm so sorry, I'll close the blinds here..."

She turned around and grabbed the blinds, trying to quickly close them.

"No, no, it's alright. I should get up. I haven't been asleep for hours and I was getting restless. I just needed something to get me up."

"You, sure?" The nurse stopped in mid-pull on the blind.

"Yeah, but there is one thing, though..."

"What?"

"What do you have for food around here? I'm starved."

The nurse relaxed a bit and smiled at Mousse and started to walk out of the room.

"You're just lucky that I do the breakfast rounds here. I'll get you something to eat in a second."

"Thanks, hey?"

"Yeah?" She paused at the door.

'Have you seen a girl around lately? Chinese dress, purple hair, usually with two buns on top?"

"Purple hair? Hmmm....do you mean the girl who talks brokenly and sometimes skips into Chinese?"

"Yeah! Thats her! Have you seen her?"

"Sorry, but not recently. I used see her here every morning too...weird. I wonder why she isn't here."

"Every morning? What do you mean?"

"Well, she was here every morning before I came in to do check ups. A real dedicated girl she was. Never left your side for a moment whenever she spent the night here, and it was hard enough work for that old woman to get her to leave. I remember coming in one morning to find her here asleep by you r bed. It was so cute too, how she had fallen asleep holding onto your hand. Oh well, I had better get going. Food will be here soon."

The nurse quickly left the room and her steps faded down the hall.

"Held...my hand? Shampoo held my hand?"

* * *

"Come on! You gotta let us see him!"

Surrounding the doctor, the whole group of friends pressed onto the doctor to see Mousse, since Shampoo had called them all in the morning and told them he had woken up that night, they were all eager to finally see their friend alive and healthy.

"I'm sorry, but you can't all barge in there at the same time. Remember he's still recovering."

Ranma rolled his eyes at the doctor and crossed his arms. 

"He's been recovering for two weeks! I think it's about time for him to get active!" Ryoga said as he too crossed his arms angrily at the doctor.

Akane shook her head at the way the conversation was heading, which was no where. She stepped forward and took the doctor off to the side, "Listen here doc, I know you think this is all in the best interests for Mousse, but it's not in the best interests for you. You don't know what happens when those guys get really mad." The doctors face blanched and Akane knew he was believing her, " They get really angry and then have a fight. Now do you want to maybe be thrown into a fight between those two guys or just let us all into Mousse's room." Akane innocently looked at the now pale white doctors face and he just slowly nodded his head before he turned around and walked away from the group.

"What did you say to him, Akane?" Ranma said as he had eyed the conversation warily. 

"Oh just the truth, really. I told him that if he didn't let us go, you two would start fighting and then probably destroy him and the hospital."

"We haven't destroyed any..." Ryoga started to say, before he caught the look from the rest of the girls in the group, which was very menacing. "Well, maybe we have destroyed a few things, but we wouldn't fight now."

"You guys fight for no reason whatsoever, so why make up a reason now for it. Come on, we might as well see how Mousse is doing, before that doctor changes his mind." Akane grabbed Ranma's wrist and pulled him with her down the corridor. They were closely followed by Kasumi and Nabiki.

"Well, sugar, shall we head off?" Ukyo said as she put a hand on Ryoga's shoulder. He turned to face her and nodded, turning another 90 degrees he headed off and walked right into the women's bathroom. "We have gotta do something about that boy." Ukyo said as she shook her head and made her way inside the bathroom to save the poor soul from the magnitude of women's screams.

* * *

Mousse had absently been flipping though a book that the nurse had brought in along with others. She had mentioned something about having a lot of free time. The book was called The Lathe of Heaven. About some small nothing man who was able to change anything in the world he wanted by dreaming it and it would be so. 

"Wish I could dream like that. Then all my dreams would finally come true. Stuff like this wouldn't happen to me or anyone else for that matter."

Mousse looked at the empty chair beside his bed and envisioned Shampoo there beside him, smiling happily and beautiful as ever. 

"Wish my dream about Shampoo would come true too..."

Suddenly the door to his room flew open and he watched as the group of six entered his room. The girls were instantly by his beside.

"Mousse, we're so relieved that you're awake!"

"You took a real turn for the worst getting that tumor and all."

"We're just glad you're still with us."

"We've missed you so much. Life hasn't been the same without you around."

Mousse sat in total shock as he watched the four girls talk non-stop to him. He could hardly get a word in edgeways. 

"You guys were worried about me?" Mousse managed to say when the girls stopped for breath.

"Why wouldn't you think that we'd worry about you? We're all friends, right?" Ranma said as he stepped in between Akane and Kasumi.

Mousse adjusted his glasses, "Well, I guess I never thought that you'd guys would really be friends with a guy like me. Especially after everything I've done to you in the past."

"Well sugar, you've grown on us. Heck you were always around when I came here. I think it wouldn't be that same place with out you around." Ukyo said as she slapped Mousse on the back, not noticing the small wince of pain from Mousse.

"And we missed fighting with you, Mousse!" said Ryoga.

"Thanks guys. It's good to know that some one cares about me. Although I don't know what I'm going to do now."

"What do you mean? You'll be up in no time and then we'll be fighting all over Nerima again like usual!" Ranma said.

"That's where you're wrong, Ranma. I don't think I'll be fighting any more."

The room stopped and everyone said as one, "WHAT?"

"You're giving up fighting? How could you give that up?"

"Does this mean that you're giving up on Shampoo too?"

Mousse took a deep breath and looked at everyone in the room. 

"No I haven't given up on her...It's just...I've been thinking a lot about my health and what happened to me. Fighting took over my life and now it could be my breaking point. Fighting ruined my health, so I have to stop fighting!"

"Mousse! You can't mean this! What'll your tribe say? What'll you do with your life afterwards? What about Shampoo?" Akane burst out saying.

"I don't know, but I can't keep on with this lifestyle if it doesn't amount to anything."

"But you have been getting better and stronger, Mousse. I feel it in you when ever we fight." Ranma said impulsively. 

"But do I win Ranma? No, you do and with your victory, you also get stronger. I never have enough power to beat you and I never will. There's no point in me fighting anymore."

Nabiki spoke up, "You can't be afraid to die just because of something happening like this. You've gone through worse."

"I'm not afraid to die. I never was when I fought and I never will. I would have happily died fighting if it was for Shampoo...but what will dying for futile efforts get me? If Shampoo isn't going to care for me or be there for me then I..." Mousse trailed off and stared down at the bed.

"But Mousse, Shampoo-" Ranma started to speak, but when he caught a death glare from Akane bearing down on him, he knew to shut-up about her for the moment.

"Mousse, you can't just give up on this-"

"Yes, I can! It's my decision. Now please leave. I want to be alone."

"Mousse-"

"GO!" The room stood in silence for a moment before turning and walking out of the room.

"Fine, but we still believe in you. Even if you think it's for nothing." Ryoga said as he trailed the group, leaving Mousse alone once more.

"How can you believe in someone who doesn't even believe in himself?" Mousse said to the empty room.

***The book I mentioned earlier, The Lathe of Heaven, was written by Ursula K. Le Guin. It was a book I had to read in a Science Fiction class. I thought that the character of George Orr worked well with how people wish that they could change the world to how they dream it to be. I suggest to all you people that you go out and read this book. It is a great read! 


	7. Shampoo's Insight

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 7

For the rest of the day, Mousse refused to see anyone else in his room with exceptions for doctors and nurses. Finally everyone just went home, seeing that they were getting no where fast.

It was night before long and a blanket of dark-blue black mottled with white specks settled over the sky. The moon rose high into the night sky, shining brightly like a street light down upon the city.

Mousse lay upon his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep and he couldn't figure out why. Why was it so hard for him to accept that he wouldn't fight again? Could he still win over Shampoo without fighting? He turned his head to the left and looked to the window. Should he return home to China? Forget about Shampoo and become a normal Amazon male as so many had tried to convince him to be years ago? 

Stepping out of bed, Mousse walked to the window while pulling a chair behind him. At the window, he stared down at the ground level as he sat down and studied the area. He noticed there were many purple lilac trees mottled about the grounds. The light from the moon made the trees seem to glow with a unnatural radiance. Their color, Mousse recognized, was the same as Shampoo's hair.

"Mousse? What you doing up?"

Mousse toppled over and fell off the chair as he heard that familiar voice suddenly speak out to him from the dark.

"Sh-sh-sh-Shampoo! Wha-what are you doing here?" He fumbled to stand up but only managed to succeed in falling down again with the chair. Shampoo walked over and grabbed his arm, pulling up to help him stand.

"I...I not know. Shampoo just go out for night walk and then Shampoo at Mousse's door."

"Then you're here for no reason at all?"

"No, I hear that... Akane tell me you no want to fight anymore. Is true?"

Shampoo looked up at Mousse, his face awash with surprise. Mousse couldn't speak. There was Shampoo, looking up at him, without hateful eyes, but with eyes full of worry. He realized that she hadn't removed her hands from around his arm and he could feel the warmth emanating from her hands and how soft they felt against his skin.

"Mousse? You hear me?"

"Oh, ah yeah, umm," Mousse's mind raced to find an answer without being distracted by Shampoo's touch.

"Yeah, I guess it is true. I'm not going to fight anymore."

"Why?"

"I always lose, my fights against Ranma are futile, and...my health has turned to the worse." Mousse looked away from Shampoo and stared down at the floor.

"I not understand. Doctor remove tumor."

"There could be a second time, the doctor told me so. He said that I could relapse if I take too much stress again."

"How you stop fighting after all you do?"

Mousse wretched his arm from Shampoo's grasp and walked back to his bed.

"It was just not good enough. I was never good enough to ever win." Mousse sat down on the bed again and stared at the wall, away from Shampoo.

Shampoo pursed her lips and took a breath. She stared at him for a moment and then pulled up the chair beside his bed.

"Are you sure you want to leave all that behind you? All that you learned and spent your life for?"

Mousse's ears perked as he recognized Shampoo's change to Mandarin.

"It doesn't matter anymore Shampoo. If I have nothing to do it for, then what does it matter. Even you see me as a failure."

"But, I don't!"

Mousse turned back over to look at Shampoo.

"Come on! You do, I know it! Ever since I came here, you've always seen me lose and I've always been a failure. I never did anything right."

Shampoo looked down from Mousse's gaze and to the bed sheets. "There was one time that you weren't a failure to me Mousse."

"Oh, really? When was that? When I lost every match to Ranma?"

"You don't remember? What about Togenkyo Island or have you forgotten about that so easily?"

"Togenkyo? That was when...when I fought that Bird Man wasn't it?"

"And did you win over him Mousse?"

"Yeah, I guess I did. It was a lucky chance anyway. Why would you remember such trivial things anyway?"

"Because...because you saved me, Mousse."

"Shampoo?"

"That time, you came to my rescue. You saved me, you overpowered that thing and saved my life!" Shampoo quickly pulled her head back up at Mousse and looked into his eyes. He suddenly realized that there were tears forming in her violet eyes and threatening to rain down her cheeks. He was taken back, was this really the same girl he had known for so long, daring to cry because of him?

"Mousse, on that day, I was actually scared. As an Amazon warrior I shouldn't have been, but I couldn't help it. I was hoping so much for Ranma to come and help, but he didn't and you did. Then he was about to kill me and you suddenly attacked him with all your strength and you beat him. During everything that happened, I was scared."

"Shampoo, I never knew."

"Of course you didn't! You think that I would let out my feelings so easily for anyone at that time? NO and I have hardly ever let out my real feelings because thats the way of the Amazon woman." Shampoo paused and looked back down at the bed again, digging her hands into the sheets, "When you were stopped by the Bird man, with those acupuncture feathers all over you, I was...I was scared that I would lose you most of all."

"Why...why would you be scared to lose me? A failure?" Mousse turned away and looked to the wall.

Shampoo quickly stood up, while knocking over her chair. "BECAUSE, YOU BLIND DOLT," Shampoo yelled as she reached over and grabbed his head, turning it towards her, so their faces were only a foot apart, "IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Mousse could only stare at Shampoo and blink. She had finally said those words to him that he'd been dying to hear for so long and now, he couldn't figure out a thing to say to her.

"You-you-you love ME?"

Shampoo stepped back, releasing his head and bringing her hands together on her chest.

"I...I...I...don't believe I just said that."

"Shampoo, don't back away from me."

Mousse scurried out of his bed and was instantly in front of Shampoo. He placed a hand on her shoulder and used his other to slowly lift up her chin, so that he could look her in the eye. 

"Shampoo, you have to tell me. This is something that I've been waiting to hear from you for years and now I do. Tell me, please tell me that you aren't lying, that I really heard you say those words to me and that you mean those words. Please say I'm not dreaming."

"Mousse, when you collapsed that day, I thought I had actually lost you. Then even after the operation, you wouldn't wake up and I still thought that I would lose you. You don't know how much has been going on inside my head these past days." Shampoo pulled herself from Mousse's grip and walked over to the window, "And everyday, every minute, I was thinking, will Mousse wake up? Will I see him awake today? And every time I came in here, you were still asleep."

"Yet now I am awake and you don't have to ask that question. But, you haven't answered my question, Shampoo. Did you mean it when you said you love me?"

"Do I love you? That question has been bouncing around in my head for so long and I still don't know the real answer."

"But you just said-"

"What I just said was on impulse, it came out of my mouth before I could think."

"But the things you say on impulse is what you truly feel inside!" Mousse walked over to Shampoo once more and turned her towards him, "Your impulse tells the truth."

"But what if my impulse is wrong, Mousse?" Shampoo said as she tried to turn away, but was held in place by Mousse's grip.

"How can it be wrong when you're following your heart and not your head? Why do you think that I followed you here and have constantly stayed by your side? I followed my heart and not my head."

"But, but, but-"

"But nothing, Shampoo! Do you love me or not? Because if you don't, then you should have just let that tumor kill me. If I have to live, knowing that you won't ever have feelings for me, then I don't want to."

"Mousse..." Shampoo stuttered and looked back up at his face. The tears that had been forming in her eyes, began their torrent down her cheeks. Shampoo burst out crying, burying her face in Mousse's chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. She felt her knees go weak and she slowly dropped to the floor, taking Mousse with her. Mousse had been surprised by Shampoo's sudden burst into tears and then he felt her slowly drop as if her legs couldn't hold her up anymore, and taking him down with her. Mousse slowly dropped down with Shampoo until they both sat on the floor, Shampoo still holding his chest and crying. They sat there on the floor not moving, until Shampoo was able to take a deep breath when her tears slowed, yet she still held tightly to Mousse.

"Mousse...I love you." Shampoo whispered to his chest.

"What did you say?" 

Shampoo lifted her head and found Mousse's expectant gaze. " I love you Mousse."

"You mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it Mousse."

Mousse brought a hand to Shampoo's face and wiped a stray tear from her face.

"Then why were you crying?"

"The tears made me tell the truth." Shampoo sighed and placed a hand over top of Mousse's, "Do you know how long I've held in those tears? How long I've wanted to just cry and cry? When that first tear came, I knew I couldn't hold them in any longer. Then as I held you and cried, all my emotions came rushing to the top from where I had forced them down. And I realized that I really did love you Mousse. It wasn't just a figment of my imagination or a fake feeling."

Mousse stared at Shampoo, her eyes shining, he realized, with love for him. He pulled her into a tight hug and stroked her hair.

"I promise I won't make you cry again Shampoo. I would never want to see you unhappy again. Your smile is the light of my world."

"I know Mousse. I just couldn't bring myself to see that earlier. I was so blinded by our past and the Amazon way...I couldn't see the real thing sitting right in front of me."

Shampoo reached up and placed both hands around Mousse's face. "To think that I thought I had actually lost you that day, but now I have you again." Shampoo brought his face toward hers and kissed him deeply on the lips. Mousse was stunned for a moment as Shampoo suddenly kissed him, but he closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around Shampoo and held her in their kiss.

***Oooh, dun dun dunnnn. Shampoo reveals her true feelings to Mousse, but what happens after? You'll just have to wait until the next chapter is revealed to you!!! Thanks so much for reading and please review, review, review!!! You do not know how much it makes me happy to see new reviews in my story stats. So to me when I see more reviews I'm more eager to end the story, no reviews and I take longer to write it. And when I get this story done, I will be advancing to my 2 other Inuyasha fan-fics that are partly done on paper (like this one was) and will be soon published on here. Happy reading!!

^_^ (\/) cyancat


	8. Shampoo's Laugh

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 8

Still disturbed by Mousse's words from before, Akane and Ranma decided to visit him again that morning to see if he had changed his mind. Arriving at his room, Akane lightly rapped on the door.

"Mousse? Its Akane and Ranma, can we come in?"

No answer. Akane tried the door and found that it wasn't locked.

"I'll see if he's awake Ranma, stay here."

"Fine. I'm sure he REALLY wants to see me." Ranma said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't talk that way Ranma! He's just confused. A ton of things have happened to him in a short while and he hasn't had enough time to think everything over!"

Akane stepped into the room and went only a few feet before freezing in her tracks, her eyes growing wide as saucers.

"Ran.ma. Get.over.here." She meekly piped out , while flailing her arm wildly in the 'come here now!' way.

"What is it?" Ranma said, still annoyed, as he walked in.

"Shhhhhh!" Akane said with a finger to her lips and then slowly pointed ahead of her.

"What is so-" Ranma trailed off and his jaw literally hit the floor at the sight before them.

In front of them, Mousse lay asleep in his bed. His left arm was wrapped around a sleeping Shampoo, her head pillowed on his chest. It looked like she had crawled into the bed and curled up next to Mousse like a cat. Ranma couldn't help but stare until he felt Akane quickly pull him away into the hall. She threw him against the wall and then after closing the door, turned on Ranma.

"Did you know about this Ranma?"

"Me? Why would you think I knew anything about those two? You were the one that went over to the Nekohanten and talked to Shampoo!"

"I just told her what Mousse told us! I didn't tell her to go hop in his bed and fall asleep with him!"

"Neither did I! What do you think happened last night?" 

Akane paused for a moment and brought a hand to her face, apparently remembering something.

"Well, evidently Shampoo changed her mind about him, but I had no idea that she was willing to admit it to him."

'What do you mean 'admit it'? Admit what?"

"You never saw it, Ranma?"

"Saw what?"

"Ranma, honestly, I never thought you were so blunt." Akane rubbed her temples with a hand and shook her head at Ranma, then looked back up at him, " Listen, Shampoo cares for Mousse and now I think that she loves him. Got that?"

"She loves him? How would you know that?"

"Well as a girl, I notice things about her that you would never see. For example, remember that picnic we all had about two months ago in the park?"

"Yeah, kinda. Shampoo came over with Mousse and Cologne. So what are you getting at?"

"During that time, did she ever hug you, try to kiss you, or even call you 'Airen'?"

"I don't really remember, what does that have to do with it?" Ranma said as he scratched the back of his head nervously, knowing that if he said yes, she's probably mallet him.

"You are such a blockhead! She never really even noticed you that day. If you had noticed, you would have seen how she had been at Mousse's side the whole day, that is, until Nabiki mentioned something about it to her and then she came running after you and you both fell in the pond."

"Oh yeah, now I remember about that day. God, I hate it when she's a cat." Ranma shivered slightly as he remembered that day, flailing around, screaming in his girl form, because Shampoo-cat was hanging for dear-life to his jacket, claws sunk deeply into skin.

"Anyway Ranma, she probably doesn't want anyone to know yet, so we should just keep quiet for a bit okay?"

"Sure Akane, whatever you say." Ranma said as he nonchalantly waved a hand at Akane as he walked away. He heard a familiar 'swoosh' sound and knew he was in trouble.

"I mean it Ranma! Do not tell anyone!" Akane fumed as she brandished a mallet in Ranma's direction.

"I won't, I won't!" Ranma shouted as he ran off down the hallway.

* * *

"Oh Gee-hosafit-for the love of kami! Now what the heck am I gonna do? Mary! Can you come here for a moment?"

"What do you need now Violet?" Said an aging nurse, her short hair gone grey. The other nurse, tall with long brown hair, stood with her hands on her hips until the older woman entered the room. She pointed to the bed.

"Thats what!"

Mary looked to the bed where a pair lay sleeping, and her eyes popped wide with shock.

"Ah, well, quite the ladies man isn't he?" she said playfully.

"Mary, you know he's not. She's the one who was here all those nights while he was still out in coma. I hadn't seen her for a bit, guess she came back."

"I see.. Well I suggest you leave them be." Mary turned and started to walk off.

"Mary, honestly!" The older woman turned back, chuckling to herself.

"You can't blame me Violet. Though seriously, you probably should leave them."

"My pleasure, but then that's my problem. I need to get blood work done on the boy, Doctor Cluny's orders. And it needs to be done this morning before he gets here. You know how punctual he can get."

"Then you'd better wake the boy first if at all. There's no telling what that girl will do if you were the first thing she sees this morning. I've heard that she's some kind of wild woman from the forests of China."

"Right Mary. She's a fearsome wild woman from the deep forests of China and sleeping soundly on this bed. Don't make me laugh, you have gotta stop listening to that night staff gossip. Don't you have to get back on your rounds now? You've got a new patient to check on right?"

Again Mary chuckled to herself. "It's like you to notice new patients here, especially if they are a cute guy. But yeah, I got a new patient on my rounds. A case of broken bones, only this is his leg. The poor boy is visited all the time by two girls who are constantly bickering. One with wild silver hair that keeps on calling herself a 'space pirate' and the other with long purple hair that calls herself some kind of 'princess'. I bet that'd boy be running if that leg could move."

"Then I'd suggest to stay out of their way. No telling what they may destroy next." Mary smiled and then walked out of the room as Violet watched. Violet turned then towards Mousse and pursed her mouth.

"Well, here goes nothing."

She grabbed his shoulder and began to shake it.

Mousse drifted out of his sleep as he felt his arm moving without telling it to do so.

"Hey, there boy. Wake up! You can't sleep all day like that."

Mousse realized as he stared ahead that the owner of the voice and the hand shaking him, was a big brown and white fuzzy blob. After almost freaking out at the sight of it, he quickly reminded himself to put on his glasses. After doing so, he now saw the figure of the nurse that had been recently giving him all the books.

"What is it?" he said groggily.

"Blood work is needed from you and I need it now."

"Now? Can't it wait?"

"Sorry, bub, but it's doctors orders. Anyway if your tests comeback in time and they show that you're doing better, you might be released from here soon. So...could you pry yourself from her so that we can get to work?"

Mousse then became fully aware of the sleeping Shampoo beside him. His face flashed beet red with embarrassment.

"I...I'm sorry. She's not supposed to be here, is she?"

"Oh don't worry about it. I was shocked at first, but believe me, I've walked in on worse situations that this. You don't have to wake her though. Just shimmy your way out from under her and we'll be off."

"Do you think that it'll be alright to leave her here?"

The nurse walked over to his side of the bed and held up a robe.

"Don't worry about it. She's fine and by the looks of it, she's sleeping soundly and probably won't wake up for a while yet."

Mousse nodded and took the robe from her, putting it on as they walked out of the room. As they headed down the hallway, there was an uneasy silence between them.

"Am, well...Are you, if you don't mind, willing to tell me how she happened to wind up in your bed this morning? It does seem to be a little strange that we find patients like that."

Mousse smiled and looked over at the nurse.

"No, I don't mind that you ask. I think it'd be worse for you not to ask and then spread rumors about it."

"You're right. Rumors and gossip spread faster than the Ebola virus around here." a certain person came into mind, and she rolled her eyes, " So...?"

"Shampoo...she came to my room last night. We had a sort of 'conversation/fight'."

"And?"

"I still don't believe it, but...she told me she loved me."

"Well, it was quite obvious that she cared for you, so I'm not surprised. But I'm happy for you two. God knows, if I could find a guy like you, I wouldn't be so tight with my emotions like she was. Every night, that girl, Shampoo?, she stayed by your side and watched over you, yet never said anything about it. I don't know how she could keep pent up any emotions that were as strong as those."

"Thats how Shampoo has always been. Ever since I fell in love with her when we were three years old, she has always hidden her emotions and also that was how she was taught to live."

"Taught to live? Where did you guys grow up?"

"We're from China. We belong to an Amazon tribe in the forests there and there are many strict rules on the ways of life for women and men."

"My goodness, Mary was right." Violet said quietly to herself, scoffing at her earlier remarks to Mary.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Anyway here we are!" Violet pointed her hand towards a door that said Examination Room 5. "Now you don't faint at the sight of blood, do you?"

"No, you don't have to worry about that. Its my sight that's a real problem for me."

"You don't say?"

* * *

Shampoo reached out and felt for Mousse as she lay on the bed, her pillow exchanged for a real one. She felt only the bed linens beside her and she quickly woke up, looking around the room for Mousse. He wasn't there, it was just her alone, again.

"I wonder where they took him," she thought, "probably doing some hospital stuff. No wonder he didn't wake me."

She got out of the bed and started to try and smooth out the wrinkles that were now imprinted into her dress. She couldn't go around looking like she wanted to wear wrinkles in her clothes. She finally decided, after a lot of deliberating with the creases in her dress, that she wasn't going to get them out so easily, so she sat back down on the bed and flopped down so that she stared at the ceiling. Mousse had probably stared at the ceiling a lot too while he was here. She smiled as she thought about the night before and it shocked her as she put her fingers to her mouth, feeling her mouth in a smile instead of a frown. 

"Its funny that its so easy for me to smile now. I had to force myself to smile a lot of the time and now, it comes so easily. Then last night, I was holding myself back from admitting to what I really felt. I was so scared that my emotions were not the right ones for me to be feeling. Then he had to look at me with those eyes of his, those blue-grey eyes that delve right inside of me, tearing up the bonds that restrain anything I've been holding back. No matter how clumsy, boring, blind, or aggravating he can be, I can't forget about him."

Shampoo sat up and fingered the bed where Mousse had lain. "Though I can't help but wonder if he thinks I was the reason for what happened to him. I still know that its my fault and I want to know if he thinks that too."

It was almost as if Shampoo's question was answered as she heard the door open and watched Mousse walk in, rubbing his left arm painfully. "Kami, it feels like she took a pint from me than just a needle full." He said, not noticing that Shampoo was watching him from the bed.

"She took a pint of what?"

Mousse jumped back a foot as he heard Shampoo speak up. He'd still thought she'd be asleep and so he just walked in thinking of the pain in his arm.

"Shampoo, I didn't think you'd be awake yet, so I didn't really bother to notice you."

"It's alright. So she took a pint of what from you?" Shampoo said as she smiled once more as she stared at Mousse who stood by the bed.

"Oh that," Mousse shucked off the robe he'd been wearing while walking down the hallways and sat down on the bed beside Shampoo, "The nurse came in and told me that she needed to get some blood from me. You know, those needles sting more than one of Ranma's punches." Mousse then unconsciously rubbed his arm again, his face grimacing from the memory of the needle.

Shampoo looked at his face and couldn't help but to start laughing. She reeled back on the bed, laughing hard and holding her stomach. Mousse looked at her quizzically wondering if he had missed something.

**************************************************************************

Hello all!!! Finally another chapter is up! Sorry to all those people who've been patiently waiting for this next chapter. I had writer's block for about a week and I couldn't figure out how to start out this chapter, but thankfully it vanished quickly. Please review, I love to read them all the time! Also, I wanted to say, needles really don't hurt. But I wanted to kind of make an oxymoron happen with how a strong fighting man can be pained by just one little needle.

Now to my Reviewers!!

JaguarKitty2006: I love your posts and your dedication to reviewing my story. I'm flattered that you like it so much! My favorite post from you is " *burst into tears and hugs/strangles Mousse* Oh you poor thing! *sob* He's been through so much! *sniff* Mean ol' Shampoo! Just tell him you love him!"

Jaid Skywalker: I thank you so much for your numerous amounts of reviews as well! Hope that you keep on writing as I enjoy your stories too!

Otaku by Day, Goth by Night: I love your one post that you gave me "Okay, I love this, but, ARGH! FIX HIM! FIX HIM! FIX HIM!" I laughed so hard when I read that, please keep reading and posting. Your posts are always alive and full of otaku emotion!

inuficcrzy: Thank you for your reviews and as long as you post your comments, I will post more chapters to you all. 

Once again, a thank you to all who've read this story and encouraged me for more! You can be mentioned by name and thanked personally by me if you keep posting reviews like these few people have generously done. This story will probably have about 4 more chapters after this, but who knows I could be wrong, like I had intentionally meant for Mousse's Waking to be Chapter 3, but it got pushed back again and again.

A Note To All Those Inuyasha Fans: There's a THIRD Movie!!!!!!!!!!! Its about the rivalry between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. I guess we find out more about their past sibling rivalry and maybe see more on what happened all those years ago. I can't wait to see it, heck I haven't seen the second movie and I'm still drooling to see that *INUYASHA AND KAGOME FINALLY KISS* and I so want to be fawning at that scene for a while.

Okay then, back to the drawing or rather writing board.

^_^ (\/) cyancat


	9. Mousse's Family

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 9

Mousse turned to look at Shampoo as she laughed on his bed and smiled slightly. But now his mind was racing, wondering if everything that had happened was really true. He just couldn't believe everything that happened to him was right.

"Shampoo?"

"Yeah, Mousse." Shampoo rolled over on her side and stared at him, her head propped up with an elbow.

"Well...it's just that..after all these years, after everything thats happened to us, you finally now tell me that you love me and for some reason my mind can't comprehend that its real. I can't believe all this is true." Mousse looked down to the bed as he couldn't bear to look at Shampoo anymore, for fear she'd start to hate him again.

He felt Shampoo move on the bed and then there was a hand on his head pulling it up and the next moment, he found Shampoo's lips upon his and her arms pulling him closer. He too wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, like their kiss. For Mousse, it was as if time had stopped and all there was in the world was Shampoo and him. It was almost as if Shampoo's lips hungered for his as she pressed tightly against him and would not let go.

It was not before long, that the need for air caused them to stop and break off the kiss. He opened his eyes to see Shampoo staring back at him with a twitch of fear in her eyes, yet they were alive with hopefulness. Shampoo took his head in her hands and leaned it towards her own so that their foreheads touched.

"Mousse? Do you still think that this isn't for real?"

"No, I see its real now. Sorry, I'm always looking for the bad side of everthing. It was just that I kept thinking about us and I wondered about the tribe. We both know how the elders will react to us and I have yet to defeat you or Ranma."

"You shouldn't be scared about them."

Mousse guffawed at her remark and looked up at Shampoo.

"Who said I was scared, I'm just worried that I won't be able to stay with you."

"Then don't worry about them Mousse," Shampoo put a hand on his arm and gripped it softly. "They're nothing compared to what we've been through in the past and I'll always stay here with you. I'm here with you Mousse. I don't care what Grandmother or the elders say, I'm not gonna let you leave me alone again!"

Mousse looked at Shampoo with an eyebrow raised, a little confused. "Again?"

"Oh, um...it was a dream I had while you were still out. It's been haunting me since then."

"What is it that haunts you from this dream?"

Shampoo sighed and then started to unravel the details of her dream. Mousse sat silent beside her and listened to her words. As she finished, she sighed once more, almost as if she was letting a weight off her shoulders.

Mousse took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Shampoo, you say that I'm scared of the elders and then you say you're scared of a dream you had. Maybe you need to take your own advice."

"But it was so real! I could have sworn it was and then you disappeared and I was alone..."

"Hey, you're not going to left alone again. I could never leave you out of my own accord. They'd have to use a hundred thousand wild horses to keep me away from you. And so you know, I swear for now on, I'll stand up to what ever comes our way and I won't back down."

"You'd do that for me?"

"In a heartbeat." Mousse smiled at Shampoo and squeezed her hand again. "I don't think I'll be disappearing anytime soon."

Shampoo squeezed his hand back, smiling back up at him, and she then suddenly stood up off the bed and started to pull Mousse off the bed as she held onto his hand. 

"Come on Mousse! You've been locked up in here too long, lets get you moving again!"

Mousse could only slightly protest as Shampoo pulled him off the bed and out of the room and down the hall. He saw how bright her smile was now and he wasn't going to be the one to dampen her spirit now that he had finally sparked her back into life.

* * *

Cologne stood cooking in the Nekohanten. Since Shampoo hadn't come back from her night walk last night, she had put two and two together and figured that she had gone to Mousse. Something had happened between them, she knew that much at least. As she stirred a pot of boiling ramen noodles, she felt a presence that she had not felt for a while, enter the Nekohanten. Turning to the dining room, she had to quickly regain her composure as she saw the person she thought she'd never see enter the store, even Japan nonetheless.

"Elder Lu Xan! What a pleasure it is to see you! I never expected to see you here in Nerima!" 

A woman turned in place to look at Cologne. Her appearance was proud and statured. She dwarfed Cologne with her 5' 9" height. Her hair, graying of age but reminiscent of purple flowed past her waist and stopped halfway to her knees. Her face wore a fond smile and kind eyes and it could be seen that in her younger days, she was a very beautiful woman. She wore a long red robe that went well past her feet, but yet clung to her like a dress.

"Oh, Elder Xu Lon, I am sorry for the abrupt appearance, but I do mean well. I came because of a few reasons actually. One being the message you sent me about my son. How is Mu Tsu?"

Cologne regarded the elder before her for a moment. "How about you sit down and I'll bring you some tea? You must be tired from your trip. I can tell you everything you need to know then."

"Very well, Xu Lon."

Later On...

Lotion sipped her tea and then placing her cup back down to it's saucer, she sighed in relief.

"So my son will be alright. I am pleased. I was so worried about him. When I got your message about him, I nearly fainted."

"You shouldn't worry so much about him. Mousse, well even with his flaws and blindness, he is a strong young man. Even I can admit that."

"Yes, I know. As an elder of the tribe and a newly appointed one as that is, I have to set an example. Worrying over a son, a male of the village, can not be a high setting standard. But...he is my only child, even if he is a male and any mother would worry about her child."

"Yes, I know what you mean. I still think about my daughter everyday. Whenever I look at Shampoo, I see so much in her that is my daughter."

"That reminds me dear Cologne. How has Shampoo been doing? Has she married that boy yet? We've all been wondering that."

"Well, she...wait a minute, We?"

Lotion laughed nervously and sipped her tea again. "Yes, we as in meaning all of the elders. We all traveled here." Cologne nearly fell off her chair as she heard the news, it was such a shock to her system. What troubles were going to happen now?

"You, you what?" 

"Well, out of normal circumstance, we wouldn't leave the village much less China, but we feel that it is as if we are missing out on what's happening in the world outside of us and we wanted to come and learn more."

"If they have all come, then were are they?"

"You know how Elder Lu Fa loves the marketplace and finding new things to buy? Well, she kind of saw that place you call a 'mall' and she took off like a flying halberd. Took the rest of the elders with her too." Lotion rubbed her temples with a hand and sighed. "I do hope that everything is alright with them."

"I'm sure they'll be fine."

"So how is Shampoo doing?"

Cologne searched her mind for something to explain Shampoo's 'condition' at the moment. What could she say?

"Ah, Shampoo, she has been working very well to try and marry the man that defeated her, but there have been troubles."

"Troubles? Like what?"

"Like the man already has two other fiances and lives at a dojo with one of them and her family."

"Oh my. Hasn't she tried to get them out of the picture?"

"Many times, but it seems that the boy always rescues them or destroys Shampoo's plot or in some cases, my plots, altogether. He is an odd boy, in more ways than one."

"Then bring me to Shampoo. I must have a talk with that girl. I can go and find the rest of the elders and we can help out the girl."

"I don't really know where she is at the moment. You know how young girls are." Cologne lied, trying to give herself sometime to come up with a plan to at least help out Shampoo and Mousse.

"Yes I do know. I could vanish for weeks on end when I was that age. Well, there's no sense in sitting here all day waiting then." Lotion stood up and straightened her robe, "You said that Mousse was at a hospital right? Could you take me to him? I'm sure he'd love to see me again."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest some more? Maybe you like to find the rest of the elders and bring them here so they too can rest?"

"Nonsense Cologne. They're fine and they can find the place on their own. I did. Anyway, I would like to see how this new surgery has helped my son. It's been at least three years since I saw Mousse last. I wonder if he's changed at all."

Lotion made her way to the door and opened it. She stepped out and looked around her before turning back and looking for Cologne. Cologne sighed and hopped on her cane after Lotion. Cologne just hoped that Shampoo had enough sense to leave the hospital and head back to the Nekohanten, but if she didn't, she hoped Lotion wouldn't react too badly to Mousse and Shampoo's new relationship. 

"So tell me Cologne. What more can you tell me about this boy that Shampoo is to marry?"

"Well, its really complicated to explain him."

"How do you mean? He is a man after all, how could he be that much trouble?"

Cologne saw a red speck quickly heading their way followed by something big, white, and black. She smiled to herself as she realized who it was. Perfect! Now she could get them off Ranma having to marry Shampoo!

"Well, here comes your explanation, Lotion." Cologne pointed a gnarled finger ahead of her at the quickly gaining pair of she-Ranma and Genma-panda.

"Come on old man! Forget it! I'm not gonna propose to her because of this!" Ranma screamed behind him at the tumble of fur that was his father.

Genma-panda grumbled loudly and then taking a mighty leap ahead of him, threw this panda arms around Ranma's legs. Ranma screamed as he went down to the ground and they skidded across the street, stopping just at the feet of Lotion and Cologne. Looking from their position, Ranma smiled apologetically at Cologne and then stood up, kicking away Genma from his grip on his legs.

"Hey there Cologne. Sorry about interrupting you, but he's been chasing me for three miles now."

"Cologne? Do you know this young woman? Who is she?"

Cologne smiled brightly and cleared her throat. "Elder Lotion, this is Ranma. Ranma, this is another elder of my village, Lotion. She is MOUSSE'S mother." she emphasized loudly.

Ranma's eyes popped for a moment and Genma was instantly behind him, sign in paw. 'So nice to meet the mother of Mousse' It read. Ranma rolled his eyes at Genma, but he had understood Cologne's direction. 

"Um..yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Ranma and this is my father."

Lotion double blinked at the pair. "How...is that...possible?"

"Oh, its nothing really. We're just cursed, that's all."

"Cursed? From what? A witch?"

"Nope, ever heard of the Jusenkyo Springs?"

"Yes, but they are quite a fairy tale to begin with."

"Well, you're looking at two people who can tell you wrong. You see originally, he," Ranma gestured to the rolling figure of his father, "is actually a man about 50 years old." Genma quickly stuck up a sign, 'I am NOT 50 years old!' 

"Anyway and then as for me, I'm actually a guy too, I'm 17 years old. I fell into the spring of drowned girl, he fell in the panda one. We only change form when we get hit with cold water. We change back to original form with hot water. Get it?"

Lotion shook her head, understandably, but then looked to Cologne confused. "Cologne, then how is she to explain why the man Shampoo to marry is troublesome?"

"Because, my dear Lotion, this is the man Shampoo's supposed to marry."

"You're kidding right?" Her eyebrow twitched nervously.

"I wish I was, but this is the man that defeated Shampoo. I have seen it with my own eyes."

* * *

"Come on Mousse! Let's get you out of this place." Shampoo said as she pulled Mousse along behind her towards the front doors.

"Shampoo, I'm not supposed to leave until they release me! I could get sick again, you know."

Shampoo whirled about and stepped up in front of Mousse, a fire of anger burning in her eyes. "Don't you ever say that! You are not getting sick again, you hear me!"

Mousse could only smile back at Shampoo, as he saw the determination in her flare up again. She wouldn't give up on him anymore. "Yeah, I hear you Shampoo, but its not me who's in control you know." he said as he pointed to his chest, where the stitches still lay imbedded.

"Fine then. We won't go home, then. We can just walk around the hospital. Would that be all right with you?"

"Yeah, sure thats fine." Stepping outside, Mousse looked around the grounds and saw the lilac trees that he'd been staring at before. He suddenly had an inkling to race. 

"Well, Shampoo, you know what?" Mousse said as he slowly slinked forward towards the purple trees. Shampoo had turned her back to him and was looking around herself, in the opposite direction. 

"What is it Mousse?"

"You feel like a race?"

Shampoo double blinked, confused. Race? She started to turn around towards Mousse and said, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Thenlastonetothepurpletreesisawetcat!" Mousse quickly yelled out as she spurred ahead towards the trees. 

Shampoo's jaw dropped for a moment, then she fumed at Mousse for another second and then took off after him, determined to close the ten foot gap between them.

****************************************************

Well, finally another chapter up. I thought I'd never get it up. This is probably the last one that I will put up before my move back home from college, and at home, my computer doesn't have internet, so I'm going to have to work around this so that I can move files from my comp to my other one at home that does have internet. Oy!! 

Anyway, if you noticed before, in the past chapter, I put in a little mentioning of a few characters that should sound familiar to some of you, like Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka (I can never spell her name right, that is if it isn't.) Just wanted to have a little cameo of some other anime in here for fun. 

Now we are going to have to deal with all the elders around Nerima. What will happen, do you think? Also, I'm staying with the hair products/make up names for the rest of the elders, makes it just a bit easier to work with in making up names. 

Also sorry before to butterfly, I didn't mention anything to you and I should have. Thanks so much for your comments and I am bedazzled that you and many more have actually read this story and said that it's one of the best they've read. I just get so happy when I see that people really think that way about my stories. Anyway, again thanks and stay tuned for another chapter soon!

^_^ (\/) cyancat


	10. Mousse's Promise

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 10

"So what you're telling me is that Shampoo had no idea he changed to a girl when she was beaten by him?" said Lotion as she stared at Ranma as Genma splashed him with hot water.

"Yep and actually she'd try to kill me every time she saw me in girl form." said Ranma dripping wet, but now male again.

"That is what it seems Lotion." Cologne agreed. "Even I had no idea at first he was like this. I even tried to use his curse to my advantage and to get him to marry Shampoo, but it didn't work for long."

"So you've given up on trying to help on getting him to marry Shampoo?"

Cologne shrugged. "In a way, I have. I really just left things to Shampoo and let her decide on how she wants to do it. She's the one who had to marry him."

"You say that like it's a bad thing to marry me, Cologne." Ranma cut in.

"Very well, Cologne. I will go along with your decision." Lotion turned to Ranma and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well young man, I am happy to meet you. We will have to make a meeting with the rest of the elders about you. We must deem if it is appropriate for Shampoo to marry you. This curse of yours...well its so unorthodox...we have to figure out if it accords with the rules." Lotion sighed. "See you later Ranma. Come Cologne, we have to yet to see my son."

Lotion tapped Ranma on the shoulder lightly and then started walking down the sidewalk in the direction they had been heading earlier.

Ranma sidestepped beside Cologne and whispered in her direction. " Are you going to see Mousse?" Cologne shook her head yes, yet kept watching the figure of Lotion walking ahead of her. Ranma scratched the back of his head nervously and coughed.

"Well...you know...Akane and I...we kind of found them asleep...together...this morning in his bed."

"I thought something like that would happen. Shampoo didn't come back last night and I assumed something happened."

"So then how is she gonna react if she sees them 'together'?"

"Honestly Ranma, I don't know. She could be outraged or she could be overjoyed."

"And since she doesn't know about their curses either?"

"It's hard to tell. She'll probably react ten times as worse as she did with you. Lotion is very adamant with her feelings."

"Good luck."

Cologne nodded back at Ranma and quickly headed off to catch up with Lotion. Cologne redirected her to turn left at the corner where she had been hesitating and then they were on the way to the hospital and towards Mousse.

* * *

Shampoo sprinted ahead and quickly closed the gap between her and Mousse. Knowing that he was still weakened, she didn't put all her effort into it, but ran as one would do when training at a paced rhythm. She laughed as she ran and smiled brightly at Mousse when he looked back at her, also smiling.

Nearing the trees, Shampoo sped up, determined to beat Mousse. Just as she was about to slow down and announce her victory, her foot caught on a root jutting out from the ground and she toppled to the ground. Mousse had been right behind her and thus, was knocked down to the ground also. They laughed at themselves as they tumbled on the grass until their momentum stopped. Still laughing, Shampoo lay on her back on the ground and Mousse was holding himself above her with his arms.

"Well, that was enlivening. I hope I didn't pull any stitches." Mousse said as he sat back and felt his chest.

"Sorry about that. I've never fallen before just from running." Shampoo said as she rubbed her head.

"Well nothing feels out of place. Doesn't matter if its never happened to you before. It just happens. Didn't it feel like we were kids though?"

"Yeah, it's like we're three again."

Mousse then grinned a wicked smirk as he remembered their childhood. "But now Shampoo, I must serve punishment!"

"What are you talking about? Punishment for what?" Shampoo said as she grinned back at him.

"For making me fall and stopping me from winning." Mousse said as flexed his fingers.

"How're you gonna do that?" Shampoo snickered.

"Like we used to do when we were kids. Remember?" He said raising an eyebrow in mischievousness.

"You've got to be kidding, Mousse! Thats a kid's punishment!"

"Doesn't matter, its still fun!" Mousse grinned. "Now, Divine Retribution Tickling!"

Shampoo screeched with laughter as Mousse began to tickle her wildly. Moving from her sides, under her arms, her stomach, and to a secret spot, behind her neck. Mousse laughed as he tickled Shampoo and as she tried to push him away. It felt as if they were kids again, playing together in the fields, not having a care in the world, nor a thought to the troubles they would have in the future. Shampoo tried to fight back against Mousse as she laughed uncontrollably, yet he was too quick to be stopped by her. 

"St-stop it Mousse!," Shampoo managed to blurt out between bursts of laughter.

Mousse smiled wickedly as he didn't stop his tickling. "You have to say the words!"

"MU-TSU!"

Mousse paused for a moment and looked down at Shampoo. "Did you say that?"

Shampoo shook her head 'no.'

"Then who did?" Mousse turned around to find the owner of the voice that had called out his name. As soon as he saw the person behind him, he stumbled back and felt his throat choke up.

"M-m-mother!"

Behind them stood the very upset Lotion, her eyes nearly on fire with anger and her arms crossed tighter than barbed wire. Behind her stood Cologne, not angered, but very astonished from the earlier scene.

Shampoo scrambled up from her position on the ground and helped Mousse to stand up.

"Elder Lotion, it's a surprise to see you!" Shampoo said as she held up the gawking Mousse beside her. Seeing him out from the corner of her eye, she stomped down on his foot to pull him out of the initial shock he was in.

"Ah, um, y-yes. It's good to see you again Mother." Mousse bowed slightly as he didn't know what else to do.

"Well I'm glad to see that you're happy to see me, but why was it that I had to find you two like...like that?!" Lotion seethed at the two and pointed a finger from them to the ground.

Mousse and Shampoo exchanged glances between them for a moment before turning back to Lotion.

"Mother, we have to tell you something important."

"Well then, out with it, out with it! I don't have all day!"

Mousse gripped Shampoo's hand and smiled at her before turning to Lotion. "I love Shampoo, Mother."

Lotion rolled her eyes and turned her back to the pair. "Oh you've been saying that since you were three, Mousse! What else is there for you to tell me?"

"Elder Lotion, I-I love him too." Shampoo said as she stepped closer to Mousse.

"You WHAT?!" Lotion spun around to glare at Shampoo, "How could you love him? You have to marry that...that man Ranma!"

"But I don't want to anymore, Elder Lotion! Even Great-Grandmother can see that! Anyway, he already has a girl to marry that he loves!"

"That doesn't matter! He beat you in combat and you have to follow tribe rules! There is no questioning the elders!"

"MOTHER! JUST STOP AND LISTEN TO US!" Mousse yelled at Lotion.

Lotion stepped back, aghast at the sudden outburst from her son. 

"Mousse-you've never raised your voice to me before, what has happened to you?"

"That's because I never had the courage and a real reason to, but now I've made a promise to Shampoo. I'm not gonna let you have your way this time Mother!" Mousse then took a deep breath and stared straight at his mother. "I don't care what you say, I promised I wouldn't leave her."

Shampoo blinked in surprise. He was standing up to his mother and nonetheless an elder? For her? She smiled as she watched him stand defensively in front of her. Why hadn't she seen how he really was before now?

Lotion was still a little speechless from the sudden words by Mousse as she kept clutching her hand on a part of her robe. She would open her mouth to say something, but closed it as if the words suddenly had no meaning to her. 

"Um,...well then...if you believe that much in yourself, I will talk to the elders about this and then we will see what lies ahead for you two. Do NOT get your hopes up! The elders do not look kindly upon those that go against the rules set by them." Lotion stared at the defensive Mousse for another silent moment before quickly turning around and walking off. Cologne looked at the pair and shook her head approvingly at them before chasing after the rapidly moving Lotion.

Mousse let out the breath he had been holding the whole time and dropped down to his knees on the ground.

"Mousse!" Shampoo said worriedly, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Mousse said shaking his head with relief. "It's just that standing up to my mother was the hardest thing to do, especially with her fuming at us the way she was. I don't know if it was the right thing to do, you know. She could turn all the elders against us."

"Not all the elders," Shampoo said as she helped Mousse to stand up again. She looked over to where the small form of Cologne could be seen behind Lotion. "We still have Great-grandmother to help us out."

Mousse and Shampoo then started walking back to the hospital doors.

"What makes you think that she would help us out and stand against another elder?"

Shampoo looked at Mousse and grabbed his hand. "Because I think that she knew I loved you before I even knew I did. She didn't push me to go after Ranma for the past few months and she even stopped calling him 'son-in-law.' I don't know if she noticed that I recognized that. It confused me for a while, but I understand now."

"You changed too, you know."

"What are you talking about? I didn't change a bit"

"Oh, really? Then why was it that whenever you weren't talking about Ranma and hanging around me, when some one would question you about it, you'd get angry?"

"I did not!" Shampoo said as she crossed her arms resentfully and turned her head away from him.

"Come on, every time you'd chase after Ranma like there was nothing left to loose and hang on to him as if it were a life and death situation. I know thats more than different from your usual antics to get Ranma. You'd hardly ever spend all your time with him unless you thought that you could get something from it."

Shampoo looked back at Mousse, apparently a little shocked by his words as she stared at him with wide eyes. "I really acted like that?"

He nodded with a glint of humor in his eyes. Let it be her to be the last to see how she really acted. Nearing the hospital doors, Mousse opened one for Shampoo and walked in behind her. Arriving on his floor, the nurse from that morning came racing down the corridor towards him.

"My goodness!" she said as soon as she was in hearing distance, "I've been looking everywhere for you and...Oh my Kami! Just what have you been doing? You're dirtier than a child in a mud puddle!" 

She stared at the dirt splotches Mousse and Shampoo had all over their faces and clothes. They then just started to realize their blemishes and blushed a little with embarrassment. 

"Oh well, we were outside and kind of fell down while racing. I guess we didn't realize how dirty we really were."

"I'd say! My goodness, how am I gonna get you cleaned up before the doctor comes in to give you a final visit?" She said as she grabbed Mousse's arm and started to literally tote him back to his room, Shampoo following close behind.

"A final visit?"

"Yes, my boy, a final visit. If you had stayed around, you would have learned that your tests turned out okay and all you had to have for your release was one last visit by the doctor. Now then," she stopped at his room and pushed him into the bathroom located there, "Get cleaned up quick and I'll bring another set of clothes for you to wear."

* * *

Lotion had been walking at full speed since she had turned away from Mousse. Nearing a park, she sat down on a bench and put her head in her hands. Cologne caught up to her and sat down as well.

"Lotion? Something ail you?"

"No, nothing's wrong with me Cologne. It's just... Mousse has never stood against me. I was so shocked that he would stand up for Shampoo like that. I never thought..." Lotion sat up and stared out into the park, eyes filled with distress.

"Love changes many things in a man's heart and mind."

"I've always known he was in love with Shampoo. Geez, since he was three he's been saying that, but for her to say it...I just..."

"Blew your top?"

"Yes, I guess I did, didn't I? I could have stayed there and kept yelling at them, but Mousse said something that made me think." 

"What was that?"

"He said that he promised Shampoo he wouldn't leave her."

"And that affects you how?"

"It made me remember a promise I made to him long ago...I promised him when he was six that...that he could marry Shampoo when he could stand up for her."

"I see..."

"I never really thought that he would ever get her to love him back."

"He grew on her, Lotion. Have you forgotten how you met Mousse's father?"

Lotion leaned back in the bench, a small smile upon her lips. "I never pass a day without thinking about him. The first day I met Tonic, I hated him. A captive from another village, a male, and eyes as bad as badger's, he was so pitiful I visited him all the time just to mock him. He just took it all in stride and listened to me as I prattled on to him of all his bad qualities. Sat there and stared at me with those green eyes everyday for a year at least. Then one day he isn't there, a villager had bought him as a slave. I run home crying to my mother about it and I find him there, waiting for me. I nearly knock him over, I'm so overjoyed to see him. Turns out my mother had bought him. I never let him leave my side after that day. Three months later, I'm pregnant with Mousse." Lotion sighed deeply in recollection.

"So he grew on you throughout all that time, like Mousse grew on Shampoo all these years. She couldn't see living around here without him another day. I know she felt that, I could see it in her eyes. When he was in a coma, she was there for him nearly everyday. The son takes after the mother."

"Cologne, I was actually scared that I would lose my son like I lost Tonic. Mousse wasn't even two years old before... before Tonic died from some unknown disease. If I hadn't had Mousse, I would have joined him in death. I loved him so much."

"So now you know how they feel for each other. Don't try to keep that from them."

"That's up for rest of the elders to decide. You know that! Two elders don't really make much of an impact on the whole group's decision." 

"But at least it's two more voices for them and not against them. Though I feel that there is something else that I should tell you about them."

"What is it?" Lotion looked over at Cologne, confused.

"You remember how Ranma had a curse? Change from boy to girl and back?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"I don't know how to phrase it any better, so here...Shampoo and Mousse also have curses." Cologne paused to await a rant or scream emit from Lotion, yet she did not.

"Do they...turn to the opposite sex?" Lotion's eyebrow twitched.

"Oh, no, no...they don't turn into that."

"Oh good then...so what do they turn into?"

"Mousse changes into a duck and Shampoo changes to a cat."

"A duck...and a cat?"

"Exactly...does that bother you?"

"No, I guess it shouldn't bother me, should it?" Lotion smiled at Cologne, yet the corners trembled lightly. "I mean he is my son after all and with some luck Shampoo will be my daughter. I just won't look at roast duck the same way again." The two stared at each other, eyes dancing with nervousness and the knowledge the years had given them. They smiled and then they simultaneously broke out into laughter that rang clearly across the neighborhood.

* * *

***** Hello Hello Again! Thanks To You All Who's Read and Reviewed!!!!!

People, I am loving the reviews! I nearly shriek in happiness every time I read a new one! AS of for the tickling, I always hear 'Divine Retribution' in anime and thought it worked well for the spot. Wanted to have a cute place with them in it together, bringing out some parts of their past back into the relationship. Like it?

I also wanted to put in a little sentimental spot about Mousse's parents and I think it really worked out well. Made me sigh in sadness for Lotion. Next chapter, the elders will show up and decide their fate. Again thanks and stay tuned for another chapter soon!

^_^ (\/) cyancat


	11. Shampoo's Surprise

****Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a god send to us all!!! 

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 11

The whirr of a boat engine could be heard through the nights thick fog that covered the waters. The boat was old and worn, but it worked hard to part the waters ahead of it as it maneuvered towards the shore of Japan. At the bow of the ship, a young man stood silent staring ahead, deep in concentration. He practiced moves with a pair of sai to keep his hands busy as he was wrought with anger and resentment.

"Soon...soon you will be mine, my dear Xian Pu. I will get rid of that revolting Mu Tsu and that man who defeated you in Japan. Our destiny is tied Xian Pu, you will be mine! There is nothing that can stop me from getting to you!"

* * *

Shampoo's back stiffened as she felt a cold chill rise up along her spine. She stopped were she was and looked back behind her, trying to find what could have made her freeze like that. 

"Shampoo, what's wrong?"

Mousse had been walking along the street with her and had now noticed she wasn't beside him anymore. Shampoo turned back to Mousse and smiled lightly at him, but before she started back, she looked once more behind her, something was coming and it wasn't good. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

"It's nothing, Mousse." Shampoo walked up to Mousse and grabbed his arm. "Come on, we've got to get back to the Nekohanten."

The pair had been walking back to the store from the hospital. Mousse had passed his final exam with the doctor with flying colors and now they were going back home, though there was still a fight to be fought there. They didn't know what the elders would do. Walking with Mousse gave Shampoo time to remember their past together in China. Many a day they had walked the rice fields as friends just like this. Then there would be those irritating moments when Mousse would proclaim his undying love for her and ask for her hand in marriage. She hadn't been able to stand that. Too many young boys were striving to marry her and she hated it. Though they didn't act like Mousse, they followed her all over, told lies to her mother, and tried to bribe her with threats or other lies. That was one reason why she had always stayed around Mousse and one reason why she always had to beat up on him. Even though he acted the worst while he was around her, she knew that he would never cheat her into marrying him. He had a good heart and it always showed. But when he asked her that question, well more like when he asked the pig, or the tree, or the stump, or the well, or the dog, or the raven, it always irritated her and it fueled her anger, making her want to hurt something really bad. That something being Mousse to be exact, since he was the closest thing nearby. 

It was then that Shampoo noticed something odd.

"Mousse, you could never see well with your glasses on, so why haven't you talked to something else like a street pole thinking it was me?"

Mousse blinked a few times in surprise. He hadn't really noticed, but now that Shampoo mentioned it...

"I..I don't know," Mousse said as he took off his glasses, squinted at them, and then put them back on. "I never really noticed that. I guess I never really thought about it since I had the operation. Maybe my eyes decided to clear up for a bit."

"Maybe...It just seems weird that all of a sudden your glasses don't hamper your eyesight like they used to."

They both walked on in silence for a few minutes before Mousse stopped again. He knew he had to say what he really felt about it and let out a breath that he didn't even realize that he'd been holding.

"Well to be honest Shampoo..., it was really only when I was around you or wanted to talk to you, that my eyes seemed to get worse. When I was at home, or was working I could see as clear as I can now. When you would come by, I hazed over in a second."

"You're kidding me, right? It's my fault that your eyes are bad?" Shampoo stood back, aghast at his words, yet a smile played upon her lips.

"NO, no I didn't mean it like that! I mean that my feelings for you was the reason why my eyes would go bad. Not you personally! It was always me! Never you!" Mousse said in a panicky rush as he turned to face Shampoo. He didn't want to suddenly lose Shampoo over a few misunderstood words. Looking at Shampoo, Mousse saw that she was smiling at him, instead of in disgust as he thought he would see. Shampoo just shook her head at him, knowing he was hopeless. 

Stepping up to the confused Mousse, Shampoo tapped him on the nose with a finger. "Silly boy, you are way too gullible! I guess thats something we'll have to work on, won't we?"

Mousse could only weakly smile back at her, as he still didn't understand what she meant. Shampoo stared at him for a moment before pulling him along with her down the sidewalk.

* * *

At the Nekohanten...

Around a table sat nine women talking excitedly in raised tones in Mandarian. Their ages were varied and so were their judgements, as it sounded like. Xu Lon sat beside Lu Xon and were throwing words across the table with the elders Hai Xal, whose ivory hair stood out against her bright blue eyes, and Pa Fum, with raven black hair and whose height dwarfed all in the room. Elders Xon Di and Xia Na, were arguing between themselves and it could be seen that the two were twins, both with graying black hair, and aging faces that contained bright and knowing green eyes. The other three women; Po May, looking to be as young as a teenager and fiddling with her bright red hair, Lu Fa, squat with age and life, had brown eyes that burned with a temper, and Po Lih, whose eyes had used up their life span and left the aging woman blind: argued on what they thought to do. It was as if no one paid heed to the other person's idea.

"No! It is against tradition for her to break off a marriage that has already been arranged. Especially when it is a foreigner she is to marry!" Yelled Hai Xal towards Xu Lon.

"How can we say she was beaten when it wasn't a real fight to begin with? It was a lucky shot for the boy! What woman wants to be won over by an accident?" retorted Xu Lon.

"Especially when we know that the marriage will not bring blessings to the tribe as both Shampoo and Ranma don't want it to happen! It would bring dishonor to the rest of the tribe." Lu Xon added to the fight.

"I know that we are talking about your own grand-daughter here Xu Lon, and we even know the fact that she herself may become an elder. But you can not put her life into discord like this just because she changed her mind! Young women always have changing feelings! Before you know it, she may hate Mu Tsu once again." Pa Fum said, trying to sound reasonable.

"How do you know she hated Mu Tsu? Did you open up her innermost feelings to find out? I most certainly think not! Even though my son is a part of this, I still go by the elders rule and I find no fault in eliminating an arranged marriage that is not wanted by both parties. How can you tell two young people of our own tribe, whom have openly said they love each other, that they can not stay together?" Lu Xon replied, as she did her best to not bring up details about Pa Fum's family whom had brought dishonor upon the tribe.

On the other side of the table, the other five elders fought about their ideas, some for Shampoo and Mousse, some not, but still, it seemed as if they would never come to a conclusion.

Shampoo came up to the Nekohanten and stooped down to the ground, putting an ear to the paper thin door, she quietly listened to the fighting inside. The reason she was alone was that she and Mousse had stopped by at the Tendo Dojo on their way back. Mousse decided that it was safer to stay there for a while, what with all the elders there at the store. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand up to them all, much less stand in the same room with them. 

Shampoo wanted to know, no, had to find out what was the real conflict between the elders, so here she was, outside her own store, listening in to the elders of her own tribe fight about her. Shampoo looked up at the sky and noticed a gray tint to the sky's color, which usually meant rain was coming. 'Great, now a rainy muggy atmosphere to add to the already dank afternoon,' thought Shampoo and rolled her eyes. Hearing the voices inside cease, Shampoo at first thought she'd been found out, but they once again started up with full force again. Shampoo sighed and hunkered down by the wall, she knew it might be a while before they came to a conclusion, a very long while.

As the talks went on later into the day, Shampoo realized that she must have dozed off, because before she knew it, she felt the drench of cold water upon her and Shampoo was now a cat. She let out a howling screech and shook herself off. Looking around her she realized that the cold water had come from a bucket, not rain as she thought, and the bucket lay in her grandmothers hands. Around her stood the rest of the elders, all of them had eyes as big as saucers, well except for one elder, but she got the idea from the gasps and sounds she heard. 

"And that, ladies, is Shampoo's curse." Cologne said to the group around her.

"I...I thought it wasn't even possible for this to happen!" said Perfume as she reached out to touch Shampoo-cat, trying to see if her eyes were deceiving her. Shampoo begrudgingly stood there and let Perfume pat her head, yet she did not like it at all. It was bad enough she fell asleep listening to them fight, but to be made an example of and stared at like a freak! It was so demeaning, Shampoo felt as if she was getting smaller by the second. After Perfume was done, all the elders had to have their turn too. Shampoo was just about ready to bolt away from the group and run inside, find some hot water, and run back to the dojo, she was so disgusted with the flaunting of her curse. 

"Jusenkyo was supposed to be just a fairy tale." said the twins Condi and Tioner simultaneously as they poked and prodded Shampoo-cat..

"Thats just what I said when I saw it happen, but it seems that not all fairy tales are there just for enjoyment." Lotion said, smiling at the group.

"And you say that Mousse also has a curse like hers?" asked Pomade, still twirling a red tendril of hair around her finger.

"Yes, but the boy turns to a duck, not a cat." Cologne replied.

"Interesting..." Pomade thought as she studied Shampoo-cat who sat on the ground before her. "It seems that there are more circumstances to deal with if my plan is to work. I may be able to use this curse to my advantage, however."

"Ladies, could you please stop before you put holes in her," interrupted Cologne and then cleared her throat, "I think it would be best to go ahead with what we decided on inside. Or have you forgotten already?"

Condi, Tioner, Perfume, and Hair Gel snapped back up to attention and shook their head with approval. Pomade just shrugged her shoulders, while Loofah and Polish nodded in agreement.

Polish turned towards the small-figure of Shampoo on the ground. Though her eyes were gone to the world, she calmly stared down at Shampoo and smiled, the wrinkles spreading on her face.

"Go and get yourself back in human form, my dear." Polish said in a voice, rich with a deep timbre that soothed Shampoo's nerves, "Come back tonight after sunset and bring Mousse with you. You'll see what we've decided on then."

Shampoo stared back at Polish for a few moments, not believing what she heard. She mewed once at Polish and then took off running down the road towards the Tendo's home.

* * *

The Tendo house was alive with talk as everyone wanted to know more from Mousse about what had happened and his mother. There were of course the Tendos, the Saotomes, Ryoga, who just happened to wander in, and Ukyo, who followed Mousse and Shampoo inside earlier that day, were all eating around the table and questioning Mousse between bites of food. Akane had made their dinner that day, along with a lot of Kasumi's help. Guilt tripped into tasting the food, everyone there after a few bites had to admit that it wasn't half bad. Akane had actually cooked something worth eating. It wasn't until a purple object streaked through the room and then upstairs, that everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. Seconds later a dripping wet Shampoo, clad in an huge towel wrapped around her like a sari, appeared at the doorway and promptly sat down at the table between Mousse and Soun. Grabbing an apple and avidly biting into it, she looked around noticing everyone staring at her.

"What?"

"We're just used to Ranma doing that a lot more than you, Shampoo." Akane said, trying to suppress her laughter.

"You were gone for some time. What did you find out?" Ranma asked as he slurped a bowl of noodles, apparently a little annoyed from Akane's remark.

"I not hear much from elders. All arguing when Shampoo arrive. Then Shampoo fall asleep. Stupid, stupid girl!" Shampoo said as she slammed her fist on the table.

"You fell asleep?" said a surprised Mousse.

Shampoo nodded her head, much too embarrassed to admit to the question with words.

"So how did you change to cat form?" Ukyo questioned, intrigued by the circumstances.

"Great-grandmother decide to show off Shampoo curse to other elders. Throw bucket of water on me! Then elders stare and poke me! I hate it!" pouted Shampoo and then took another large bite of her apple and chewed angrily.

"Did you hear anything from them before you..." Mousse paused trying to find the right words as it was a terrible mark in a warrior's life to fall asleep while on vigil, "...before you were no longer able to listen in to their conversation?"

"No, not much to hear. All fight about..." Shampoo paused, embarrassed to even mention the topic of the elders. Looking around the room and then to Mousse, she sighed and spoke up again, "Elders fight about Mousse and Shampoo. Also fight about Ranma, but is about if should marry Shampoo. Great-grandmother and Mousse mother say that marriage is not right, but some elders want marriage to happen. That all I hear before... Then Shampoo wake up wet and a cat. But... before I leave, Elder Polish tell Shampoo to come back after sunset. To bring Mousse to hear what is final word of elders."

"Tonight? You mean they want us there tonight? All of the elders want to see us, tonight?" Mousse said, obviously a little shaken by the news.

"Yes, Mousse. Elders have made decision about you and me. Sorry I was not able to find out decision before. I...I fear that news will not be good." Shampoo stared down at the half-eaten apple in her hand and sighed heavily.

Mousse saw the hurt in Shampoo's eyes and felt his fears about the elders wash away. He realized he couldn't be afraid about the elders when Shampoo seemed to be even more worried about their future. "You shouldn't have to worry about what they say, Shampoo." Mousse said as he took her hand, surprising everyone in the room. They hadn't noticed the change in personality between the two yet, "I promised that I wouldn't leave whatever they say, didn't I? I know that its hard for you and its hard for me, as the elders are in part, our own family, but thats a final fight we have to go through, together."

Shampoo looked over at Mousse and nodded in agreement. "I understand Mousse. It just hard to think about. Now that everything is good for Shampoo, something have to come to mess it up. I worry about what happen to me and you."

"There is nothing that you have to worry about Shampoo. We'll all be there to make sure that everything is fine. Won't we everyone?" Ranma said, speaking up as he couldn't stand to see the way Shampoo was looking. Everyone answered in agreement, which brought a smile to Shampoo's lips.

Shampoo looked over at Ranma questioningly, "Why Ranma want to come? Is not problem of Ranma's. Is not problem of anyone here except Shampoo and Mousse."

"So, has that ever stopped us before?" Ranma laughed, "Anyway, we all want to see that everything turns out alright in the end."

"He's right you know, Shampoo." Akane spoke up. "Even though everything we went through, the kidnappings, the disasters, the fights, the attacks, the misunderstandings, we have always looked to find the right ending. We've spent so much time together, it seems as if we could have grown up together and still not know as much as we know now. Even if it wasn't our problem, we helped because we wanted to help our friends. And thats what we'll do now." 

"Thats good to know, everyone," Mousse said to the group, "But I think that this time, we have to deal with the consequences. This is our fight and its between our tribe, you guys don't have any leeway in their judgement. Yet if you guys are there for support, thats all that you can help with."

* * *

Outside a storm started to fall upon the town just as Mousse, Shampoo, Ranma and the others arrived at the Nekohanten. Rain pelted down as hard as hail and with it came winds that blew furious and raging. It was as if their way out of the store was blocked by the storm.

All looked towards the group of elders that sat around a table at the edge of the room in the shadows.

"Come forward Shampoo, Mousse and Ranma." A voice called out from the group.

The three stepped forward simultaneously and walked towards the table, stopping a few feet before it.

"You now stand before the High Elders of the Amazon village. The fact that you have come means that you will obey any and all orders and decisions that we make here today. Everyone will answer any question we ask truthfully and without hesitation. Is that clear?"

The three nodded in agreement and stood in silence, as did the people behind them, all staring at the shadowed women. A woman stood up from her seat, the light showing off her long ivory hair. She looked at the three individually before turning her blue eyes to Ranma.

"Ranma Saotome, you do not wish to marry Shampoo of the Amazon tribe. Is that right?" said Hair Gel.

"Yeah, thats right. I've never wanted to marry her." Ranma said, sighing a bit in relief.

"Then who do you want to marry?"

Ranma's sigh quickly turned to an amount of startled coughs at the question and he looked at the elders, eyes wide with shock, wondering if he heard her correctly.

"Wha...what did you say?"

Aggravated at repeating herself, Hair Gel rolled her eyes and looked to Ranma again, "I asked, my boy, who is it you want to marry if it is not Shampoo?"

Ranma started to speak but closed his mouth. His eyes wandered around the room and he got very uncomfortable as he felt every eye turn on him. He mumbled something unintelligible to everyone's ears and stared at the floor.

"What was that? Speak up!"

"I said..." Ranma looked once to the group behind him before staring back at the ground, "I said I want to...I want to marry...Akane."

Someone started to cry in the back and Ranma could only guess who that could be. There was a large thump sound from behind also, yet he couldn't figure out what had made it.

"Ah, I see. So this Akane, you want to marry her, why?"

"Why! You want to know why?" Ranma looked up at the elder staring down at him and realized that he couldn't hide it anymore, "Fine, I'll tell ya. I love her! Ya hear that? I love her and that's why I want to marry her!"

"Very well then. You have proven yourself to us. Your marriage to Shampoo is null. You may step back."

Ranma stood stunned in place for a few moments. Turning around, he walked back to the whole group and was met with cheers and when he looked to Akane, she smiled at him with tears gleaming in her eyes. Ranma smiled back at her, rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed a little at his sudden gush of emotions for her, especially in front of everyone else. Not knowing what else to do, he took her hand and stood beside her, hoping everyone would keep quiet for the moment. Behind the rest of the group, he noticed Ukyo trying to revive a fainted Ryoga on the floor and laughed to himself.

"Now step forward Shampoo. We have deliberated a long time on what to decide for you. Are f your feelings or the people around you changed since you first arrived here?" said a voice that Shampoo recognized belonged to Perfume. She realized that Perfume spoke in their native Mandarian language and decided she would as well.

"Yes, High Elders. I have changed much since I first arrived here in Nerima."

"Please tell us what you feel is the reason that you never succeeded in your route to marry Ranma."

"What I feel is the reason? Well, I guess its because I guess I never really wanted it to happen. I did get close a few times, but when I could have actually succeeded, I let him win in the end. Deep down, even I did not want the union to happen, because I had someone else in mind. Even though it had been deep down and pushed away from me, my feelings for another always got in the way. Only recently have I realized that my feelings were for real and that I could no longer keep them concealed."

"Very well said, my dear," said Polish with her resonating deep toned voice, "What we fought about the most was if your feelings were the real thing and not just a fleeting moment that could be washed away. You have grown up so much since we last heard from you. We have seen that you are a woman and not just a girl anymore. You are old enough and mature enough to make decisions on you r own about your life. You no longer need to heed to the rules and ordinances made by any previous fights that would bind you to anyone by way of winning or losing the fight."

"Thank you Elder Polish."

Shampoo stepped back and sighed in relief. She glanced over at Mousse beside her and saw him flash her a reassuring smile.

Condi and Tioner spoke up then at the same time, "We have just one question for Mousse."

Mousse looked towards the aging twin elders, his glasses hiding the glint of fear in his eyes.

"We must ask you Mousse, do you regret becoming sick and having the tumor that brought you so close to death?"

Mousse blinked in surprise. This wasn't what he was expecting. He looked to Shampoo once before turning to the elders

"I do regret it and at the same time I don't."

"What do you mean?"

"Before I got sick, everyday was the same. I tolerated it and lived with it. I could have lived that way for the rest of my life if I had to. When I got sick, everything changed around here and it was all because of me. I regret becoming sick because I caused my friends and family to worry about me. I even caused my mother to worry so much about me, she had to cross over into another country just to find me. But then...," Mousse paused to think back, "I don't regret it because of everything that did change. If none of this had happened, I wouldn't have been able to see that I had real friends here, not just enemies. I also wouldn't have found out that the person I love the most loved me too. I'm almost grateful that I got that tumor. Even though all the turmoil it caused in my past, I wouldn't change anything thats happened. The only wish that I have now, is to stay with Shampoo, as I have promised her."

The room stood in silence after Mousse finished speaking. Pomade squirmed in her seat, she was not liking this one bit. She had a plan that wasn't going to be ruined, not by the rest of the elders or this sickening scene between Mousse and Shampoo.

Speaking up, Pomade stared down at the two, "What if there was a hindrance that caused you to fail in your wishes, what would you do then?"

"What do you mean?"

"If something got in the way of your wishes, such as another person or an unknown foe happened, what would you see in your future for the both of you?"

"We would always win over whatever got in our way. Many times, other people and unknown foes have gotten in our way, but we always overcame them. With the help of the people that care for us as friends, no foe can stand up against us. Plus, if anyone or thing tries to separate Shampoo from me, I will take my revenge!"

"Oh, really? You are so sure you will win over anything?" Pomade hissed at them and leaned over the table towards the pair. 

The front door shot open, startling everyone inside the store, to unveil a shadow in the storm's rain. Lighting flashed behind the figure once and it was almost as if the lighting had been called forth, the figure seemed so menacing. Pomade instantly knew who it was and an malevolent grin spread across her face and she sat down in her seat again.

"Hello, Xian Pu, High Elders,... Mu Tsu." the figure said with a tone of resentment not well hidden behind his accent.

The figure then stepped inside and revealed a young man, wearing a malicious grin on his face. The boy stood nearly five and a half feet tall, dwarfing some in the room. His hair, black with a deep tint of dark red, was short and cut close to his head. He wore a long sleeveless teal robe, with a split on both sides starting at the torso, along with pair of dark blue shirt and pants that were the same style of Ranma's. He had an orange wrap around his waist that trailed behind him and which holstered a pair of three pronged sai.

Shampoo stared at the boy for a moment, not wanting to see what was before her. Stepping back, she exclaimed, "Xon...Xon Na! What are you doing here?!"

*****************************************************************************

Hello all!!,

Finally another chapter up! Took forever to finish now that I'm working 6 days a week, nearly 11 hours a day at an amusement park. Totally tiring and exhausting! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! I had a lot of ideas that I tried to fit in this one, but it seemed that I crammed enough into it already.

So, who do you think this new boy is? Hmmm? Well I will tell you that he is Pomade's son. Pomade is an older woman, probably about in her fifty's yet she has been able to keep her youthful appearance by way of ancient remedies and a few well placed spells. She is not favored very well by the other elders, but since one can not leave their elder rank except only by death, she stays with them. You will see more of her plan in the next chapters and why she hates the union of Shampoo and Mousse. I wonder how many chapters this will take to end?

And to those that don't like this pairing or my story - May an obelisk fall on your head! If you don't like it, DON'T READ IT!!

  


Thanks so much for your support to everyone else! Hopefully my two Inuyasha stories will be up soon!!

  


/\ _/\ (\/) cyancat


	12. Shampoo's History

Note: Yes I know that all these characters and more belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. She is a godsend to us all!!!

When I Thought I'd Lost You

Ch. 12

Shampoo's History

What Happened Before:

The front door shot open, startling everyone inside the store, to unveil a shadow in the storm's rain. Lighting flashed behind the figure once and it was almost as if the lighting had been called forth, the figure seemed so menacing. Pomade instantly knew who it was and a malevolent grin spread across her face and she sat down in her seat again.

"Hello, Xian Pu, High Elders,... Mu Tsu." the figure said with a tone of resentment not well hidden behind his accent.

The figure then stepped inside and revealed a young man, wearing a malicious grin on his face. The boy stood nearly five and a half feet tall, dwarfing some in the room. His hair, black with a deep tint of dark red, was short and cut close to his head. He wore a long sleeveless teal robe, with a split on both sides starting at the torso, along with pair of dark blue shirt and pants that were the same style of Ranma's. He had an orange wrap around his waist that trailed behind him and which holstered a pair of three-pronged sai.

Shampoo stared at the boy for a moment, not wanting to see what was before her. Stepping back, she exclaimed, "Xon...Xon Na! What are you doing here?!"

            "Toner!  What're you doing here?!"  Mousse yelled at the boy who stood in the doorway, bordered by the storm behind him. Mousse quickly placed himself in front of Shampoo, hoping to shield her somehow.  He knew that this wasn't going to end happily.

            Toner laughed haughtily at Mousse's words and then suddenly stopped, smiling devilishly at Shampoo for a second before looking back into Mousse's fuming eyes. "Me? You dare ask me why I'm here? The disgraceful being that you are is nothing compared to the warrior that I am!"

As Toner slowly advanced upon the elders table, Mousse and Shampoo slowly moved away from him. He exchanged a look with Pomade before spiraling around once more to stare down at Mousse and Shampoo. "For your information, I'm here to take Shampoo as my wife!"

            The silence stood thick in the room, hanging on everyone's shoulders like Atlas grasping the world. No one could believe what he had just said. That is, everyone but Shampoo. As soon as she had seen Toner, that one instant of time, she had known instantly why he was here and now she didn't want to face it.  Everything was just beginning to become right again and her life was becoming normal for once in so many years.  Why did he have to show up? Why did this have to happen now?

            Shampoo stared down at the ground, feeling her anger and fear beginning to grow in the pit of her stomach.  For some reason, she couldn't yell.  She couldn't scream at him, couldn't hit him, she couldn't do anything…nothing but feel her body overcome with fear. Slowly she dropped to her knees and clasped her head tightly. Mousse didn't notice Shampoo fall to her knees, he was too caught up in the fight he had with Toner, both shooting menacing glares at each other. It wasn't until he noticed Tonic glance down to the floor quickly and then sneer happily to himself.  Forcefully Mousse tore his eyes away from Tonic and looked back behind him.

            Shampoo knelt upon the floor, her body rocking back and forth unconsciously as she gripped her head tight, knuckles turning white with the pressure.  Without another second passing, he was immediately at her side.

"Shampoo?" Mousse asked, eyes searching for a reason why she was acting this way.  He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close, looking up once to glare at Tonic.  He did something to Shampoo, he must of done something that would cause her this much pain.  He would make Toner talk, he would make him talk if it was—

"I never agreed…"

Abruptly Mousse stopped fuming as he heard Shampoo mumble against him, his ears perking to catch every word. He glanced down and realized tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"That isn't possible. That isn't possible! I never agreed. I never agreed to that!" Shampoo cried, her voice straining with every word.

Mousse could only stare at Shampoo, not understanding her words at all.  He was just about to stand and make Tonic tell him what was going on, but Shampoo beat him to it as she screamed out into the room. "I never agreed that day to marry you Toner!!  I don't care what you say, I won't marry you!"

**Flashback**

"Shampoo, stand still for a moment!" Her mother said, trying to straighten the 8 yr old's clothes.  "You must be perfect before you see Elder Pomade."

"But Mommy, I don't wanna.  She scares me and…and Toner never wants to play with me!" Shampoo pouted, sticking out her bottom lip in a last minute plea for pity. "Can't I go and play with Mousse instead?"

"No you can not! Pomade just wants to ask you a few questions.  It won't be that bad. It's for the good of the village anyway." Her mother ran a hand over Shampoo's long purple tresses, settling a few stray hairs. "Pomade is to see if you will become a good elder when you're older. You just answer her truthfully and it'll be done before you know it. Alright?"

"Okay, Mommy. But I still don't like her."

--   --   --   --   --   --   --   --   --

"Shampoo, my child, do come in!" Pomade exclaimed with a smile at the young girl who stood alone outside her home.

Shampoo timidly walked inside, following Pomade's orders and sat down on a pad meant for children. Pomade settled herself as well across from her, yet still smiling broadly at Shampoo.

"Well, my dear. I have some questions for you.  Understand what they are for?"

Shampoo swallowed hard. "Yes, Elder Pomade."

"Good, good. First of all, I have been hearing of your talents in class.  How strong do you think you are as an Amazon warrior?"

Shampoo hesitated a moment before replying. "Well, I'm stronger than any of the high class students here and once I even beat the master, but… it was a lucky shot.  I know when I'm older though, I'll be the strongest warrior ever!"

Pomade smiled at this, but something other than excitement flashed behind her eyes. "I'm happy to hear that my dear child. Do you intend to have a husband when you are the best warrior ever?"

"A husband? I-I guess so… I want to have a baby of my own someday, so I guess I should have one to help take care of it."

Pomade chuckled at the girl's answer. "Well, then, should he be as strong as you?"

"Oh yes. A weak husband isn't really worth keeping around."

"I see, so… Is there any boy here that may be as strong as you?"

"I don't know.  I've never practiced with the boys since we aren't allowed to even spar together." Geez, Shampoo thought, didn't she know the rules between teaching boys and girls and how they must never train together?

"Well then, how about you spar with Toner and see for yourself how strong he is?

Shampoo was appalled at such words.  How could she even come up with such an idea? "You want me to fight with Toner?"

"Yes, I would like to see if his training is paying off. Don't worry my dear, you won't get in trouble for this.  You can even fight in my private arena. Okay?"

"Well, if you want me to… I guess I can." Shampoo said meekly, still not understanding where this was going.

2 hrs later - - - -

Shampoo lay on the ground panting hard from the overstressing fight that she had just lost.  Yes, lost.  Toner stood above her, holding a sai to her throat, stopping any and all action from her.  There was suddenly clapping from behind them and both turned their heads to see Pomade walking toward them from the darkness of the sidelines.  There was an unnatural gleeful look upon her face. Toner stepped away from Shampoo and holstered his sai.

"Very good my dear.  Up till the last moment, I thought Toner would lose for sure.  You have done very well.  Toner," Pomade addressed her son. "Go home and get ready for our guests tonight."

Toner nodded and walked silently away into the dark shadows. Pomade held out her hand, taking Shampoo's and helped the young girl up. Yet still the gleeful look was upon her face, which now was beginning to scare Shampoo.

"Now my dear, I have a proposition for you. I won't tell anyone about this fight if you do something for me."

"What would that be, Elder?"

"Agree that when you are old enough and strong enough, you will marry Toner and take him as your husband."

Shampoo stared wide-eyed at the Elder before her. She wouldn't tell if she did what?!

"Come, come now darling. I don't think you want the WHOLE village to know that you lost to a boy in a sparring fight. You're supposed to be the best! What would your mother think if she found out?  I don't think you want that hanging around you.  But if you agree to marry Toner when you're older, this will stay between the three of us. Okay?"

Feeling tears forcing their way out of her eyes and without a second look behind her, Shampoo sprinted out of the arena and ran home as fast as her legs could carry her.  Pomade watched her go, not the least bit surprised by the little girls reaction.

"Did she agree, mother?" came a voice from behind her.

Pomade sighed lightly. "Not with words.  Though, I know she won't tell anyone she lost to you, so subliminally she has agreed to it. You did a good job, my son."  Pomade turned and looked at her son, his face stoic and serious, nothing at all which a child's should look like. "Step 3 of my plan to take over the Elder Council is complete. When you and Shampoo marry, I will place the subduing spell over her. Once we have control over her, both of you will take out the council, one by one until there is only I!  Then only I will rule over the Amazons as they really should be, by FORCE!"

Pomade began to laugh loudly and was soon joined by Toner, their laughter ringing through the empty arena, as Shampoo ran home with tears staining her cheeks and a dark secret inside her heart.

**End Flashback**

"Toner! You have no right being here! You are not wanted!" Mousse said as he stood up and advanced toward Toner. "You see that she doesn't want anything to do with you so leave immediately!"  Mousse stopped a few feet before Toner, both locked in another staring clash.

"Me? Leave? Why I just got here and it would be so rude not to say hello to my own mother. Or would you like to settle this outside, just between us?"

Lotion abruptly stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. Slamming her hands down upon the table, Lotion couldn't take the fighting anymore. "Just a second! Toner, you had no right to even be here at this meeting and what is this of making Shampoo your wife? There was never a decision of the council on that matter!" The other elders nodded in agreement and began to whisper among themselves.

"Oh calm down dearie." Pomade replied while picking at her fingernails and lounging back in her chair. "I told him that I was coming here and he wanted to come along. Besides Shampoo, Toner, and I have had an agreement about the marriage since she was a child. Don't worry about it."

"And just when were you going to tell us about this 'agreement' Pomade?" Lotion yelled, feeling her own anger rise. "Even so, it seems that Shampoo doesn't even have the same feelings about it as you do."

"Tell you? Come now, as long as one of us okays it, it should be a done deal. And her feelings, it doesn't really matter. We made an agreement and that's all there is to it. Toner will marry Shampoo and that will be the end of it."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Mousse retorted, brushing past Toner and stepped in front of Pomade. "I…We have gone through too much for you to say that will be the end of it! If Shampoo is going to marry anyone, it'll be me! Now, I don't know what happened in your little 'agreement' but we're canceling it now!"

Pomade's eyes would have shot daggers if they could as she looked at Mousse.  He was not going to destroy all her plans she had worked so hard on! Not now, not ever! "Fine, you think you're so high and mighty, let's find out. Our agreement was made after Shampoo lost a fight to Toner, so lets make it that again.  You want Shampoo? Then fight for her against Toner. Mind you, he is the best and he has even gotten stronger since he fought with Shampoo.  He's no weakling like you!"

Shampoo's head shot up at Pomade's words. Mousse fight Toner? No, he couldn't do that now! Not so soon after what just happened to him. He could get sick again!

Mousse slammed his fist upon the table. "Fine by me! I'll take him on, whenever you want.  If it'll stop your incessant prattling about your little agreement, then I'll do it."

"Still don't think before you act, don't you Mousse?" Toner laughed as Mousse turned toward him. "You still think that you can beat me? Tell me, were you even able to beat your master back at the village before you left? I ask because if that's all you know, it'll be easy to defeat you. That old man was a waste of energy.  How effortless it was to win over that man. A Master of the Hidden Weapons Technique? Yeah, right."

"If you're gonna fight him, you've gotta fight me too!" yelled a voice from behind Toner. He turned to find the owner and was confronted with a lot of angry faces.

"And who might you be? Some of the local yokels?" Toner commented.

Ranma and Ryoga stepped out from the shadows of the room. It had almost seemed as if they had been forgotten in the clash between Toner and Mousse. Ranma stalked up towards Toner, a fire in his eyes. "Now you shut up!  Come in here acting like you're better than everyone. Well you're not!  If you even want to fight Mousse, you've gotta go through me first!"

"How dare you even set foot in Japan!  You are not a man worthy of any woman's love, much less Shampoo's." Ryoga criticized as he stood beside Ranma. "Any man that commands such an atrocity is a ruffian and lower than dirt. You want a fight? You got one with me!"

"Guys, I can't let you do that." Mousse placed himself between Toner and the two men and placed a hand upon both of their shoulders. "Thanks, but this is my fight. Anyway he won't be satisfied unless he battles with me."

Mousse turned and glared at Toner. "You happy now? You got your fight with me! And I won't be backing down!"

"Of course. I hope that you wouldn't.  I won't be that much fun of a trip if I beat you so easily. We meet tomorrow for the fight."

"Fine! Meet me at the lake park and we'll have ourselves a fight!" Mousse yelled back at Toner, his anger rising at his remark. Toner was going too far. And it was going to be his downfall.

Toner smirked once more at the group inside the room before making his exit through the front doors and the dissipating storm.

Everyone was left staring at the doors, still contemplating everything that had happened so quickly. Mousse sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He hoped that he hadn't put himself into something that he would regret. He looked over his shoulder and found Shampoo still crying, but with Ukyo and Akane trying their best to comfort her.

"Mousse, I…," Lotion spoke, uneasy at what to say to her son. He turned at the sound of her voice.  She saw him force a smile upon his face and knew that even he was worried about what the consequences of tomorrow would be.

"Mother, I'll do my best. You can count on it, but if I were to lose…please watch over her. I won't return to the village with you.  I wouldn't be able to stand it. Just promise me you'll watch over her, please?"

Lotion shook her head in agreement. She didn't dare say it for fear that it may come true. She watched with a pained heart as Mousse walked over to Shampoo.  She stood up with him, but he held her tightly in his arms and the pair walked into the back of the café in silence.

Pomade looked around at the room, stagnant with unease and fear, drinking it all in like a flower to the morning light.

 "Well, that was exciting, wasn't it?!" She said enthusiastically.  This earned a death glare from every one in the room, even from blind Elder Polish.

            "Shampoo, this isn't like you to cry." Mousse said as he ran a hand across her cheek, brushing away a tear with his thumb. They now sat in Shampoo's room, the best place he figured for them to be at this moment. Shampoo was still crying and he couldn't figure out why. "Please let me see you smile once more. I hate to see you cry like this."

            Shampoo sniffled once and looked up at him. "Oh, Mousse. I wish I could but every time I think about Toner coming here, I-I-I can't help it…" She said as the tears flooded her eyes once more.

            "Then don't think about it." Mousse said as he tightly hugged her against him. "Think about how you used to hit me all the time and how happy a life we'll have in the future. Just don't think about him or that arrogant mother of his."

            Shampoo buried her tear-stained face in the folds of his robe and clutched her arms around him. "I'm sorry Mousse, I'm so sorry. I should have swallowed my pride back then. We wouldn't have to go through this now if I had just done that!"

            Mousse sighed once as he rubbed her back, trying his best to calm her. "I don't care about what happened in the past between Toner and you. For all I care, its nothing now. I love you and I finally know that you love me too. I'll do anything to keep Toner away from you."

            "But, but what about your chest?"

            "What about it? I'm healed now. There's nothing else to say about it."

            Shampoo jerked her head up to look at Mousse in shock. "But you could get hurt again! Toner could open the wound. Your stitches haven't even been taken out yet!"

            Mousse was at a loss for words. Yes, he had thought of that already. He just didn't want to face the reality that it might actually happen to him.

            "It's always my fault whenever you get hurt." Shampoo cried as she stared up into his blue-gray eyes. "First the tumor and now Toner! All this happens because of me and at times I think I don't even deserve to be near you."

            "No, its me that doesn't deserve you, Shampoo!" Mousse placed a hand against her face, feeling her tremble. She blinked her violet eyes, trying to rid herself of the tears that had been building up. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever known and I've loved you since we were young. What happened to me, well it happened and there is no way in knowing whose fault it was. If its anyone's fault, it was me and not going to a doctor when I started to feel pain, alright? You had nothing to do with this, save for giving me a reason to keep living. I'll always love you, no matter what happens. Just remember that tomorrow and there's no way that I can lose."

            Shampoo sighed heavily and leaned against Mousse, but never broke eye contact with him. "I will, but if you lose, I'll never forgive you for it."

Shampoo's reached up with her trembling hands and touched his face, tracing her fingers down his strong jaw line to the curve of his chin. Without another moment she kissed him deeply, her lips telling him just how she felt mixed with the taste of her salty tears.

OH MY GOD! DID I FINALLY ADD ANOTHER CHAPTER TO THIS STORY? I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

Anyway, thanks to all who stuck around and waited for another chapter. Hopefully there will only be two more chaps, the end and then an epilogue.  I just love writing epilogues, don't you? Please read my other story and review it if you haven't already.

Watch out soon. I will be posting a challenge to all you people out there, so look out for it!

Thanks!!!!!!! No Triple Thanx!!!!!

Cyancat   (/)      


End file.
